A Ray of Hope
by KittyLynne
Summary: Prequel to the story 'Bonds of Love'/ Keith figured he had no chance with the fair Princess Allura until a good friend tells him differently. But when tragedy strikes the Voltron Force, that chance may be forever gone.
1. The Castle Ugly

_Author's Note: This short fic takes place shortly after the Voltron Force arrived on Arus. Keith and Allura are still getting to know each other, and Sven is the pilot of Blue Lion. It is a precursor to a much longer story I've written called Bonds of Love ( in case that title sounds familiar, I am the same 'Lynne' that wrote it- the 'Kitty' part was added for this site.) Anyway, that epic, which continues the story of the Voltron Force with an emphasis on Keith and Allura's relationship, can be found in its entirety at The Lion's Keep._

**A Ray of Hope**

A _Bonds of Love_ Prequel

**by (Kitty)Lynne**

_(I do not own Voltron, World Events Productions does. I have only borrowed it for the purposes of providing non profit entertainment for fellow fans...)_

It wasn't a palace. It was a giant tombstone, a cold and lifeless monument to better, gentler times on Planet Arus.

Two of the five Alliance space explorers now living on war-torn Planet Arus, were scouting the upper passages of the Castle of Lions. The rest of the team had stayed in Ops, keeping a close watch out for further enemy raids. It was hoped it would take the Doomians some time to dispatch another RoBeast to replace the one the Super Robot Voltron had destroyed. The golden opportunity to explore the bombed out edifice had fired the imaginations of the battle weary pilots, who were going to look for and salvage anything useful or of sentimental value, in hopes of providing comfort for the embattled Princess Allura and her ailing advisor, Coran.

Sadly enough, the sole survivors of the Royal Court could not accompany them on this mission; Coran was still recovering from a nasty leg injury and the Princess needed to tend to her official duties, sparse as they were these days. She had thoughtfully given them information regarding the Castle's layout, looking almost pathetically eager at the thought of retrieving a memento or two, and thanked them for their effort with humble gratitude. Coupled with her radiant smile, the gesture had gone straight to the hearts of the two men, who vowed on the spot they'd be sure to bring her something special. Allura had blushed prettily under their appreciative gazes, and then wished them luck, her gaze lingering noticeably on the handsome pilot in red.

The pilot in blue smiled knowingly as he observed the undercurrent between his leader and the Princess. He gently prodded the Captain who gave a slight start, and then politely took his leave of the young woman. His companion followed in the wake of his besotted comrade, giving the crimson- cheeked monarch a flirtatious wink before exiting the room. They headed for the upper echelons of the Castle with high expectations, but when the targeted spot was reached, their enthusiasm quickly turned to dismay. The scene that lay before them was an unexpectedly daunting one for the young pilots, who were still relishing Voltron's victory over the best of Zarkon's armadas.

Among the Voltron Force, confidence was now running high; after all, they just had gnawed off a big chunk of Zarkon's tough hide, chewed on it, and then spat it away with aplomb. That was an achievement that the team should take pride in. The rebirth of Voltron was bringing Arus a sense of renewed hope, and enough of a breather to take time to assess how to restore some semblance of order and security to the planet. The Voltron force leader and his second in command had eagerly volunteered to be the first to inspect the damaged stronghold, feeling highly confident that the majority of the Arusian landmark could be repaired in record time with the help of the five lion ships. The Castle of Lions could once more be a haven for the besieged Arusian citizens.

Unfortunately, that optimism was crushed beneath stone cold reality moments after the two pilots climbed the steep flight of stairs leading to the West wing.

The place looked more ramshackle than a haunted house at a second rate carnival. Cobwebs were everywhere. The crumbling limestone walls of the corridor were dank and dingy, the faded paint on them peeling, and in some spots, severely scarred with blaster marks. The explorers stepped cautiously around ornately carved beams that had plummeted down from the vaulted ceilings, all the while wondering how the structure could possibly survive another direct blast. Marbled tabletops were covered with more than dust, they also held slivers of rock and mortar. Furniture was smashed, or missing, the darker patches on the rigs providing clues to the absence of certain pieces and the possible looting that may have occurred.

If the rest of the planet resembled the condition of this section of the Royal compound, the odds against achieving a complete recovery would be steep...but still surmountable, the two men kept reminding themselves.The Princess' ancestral home would be but the first dwelling to rise from the ashes. With that resolve in mind they pressed onward, taking comfort in the fact that they hadn't yet come across any decomposing bodies.

Considering the abysmal appearance of the wing, and the fact that since their arrival, they hadn't had a chance to peruse this sector, it wouldn't have been a surprise to find a fallen Arusian. Thankfully, there were no decomposed bodies to be seen... but despite the absence of bodily proof, brownish red stains on the walls and carpets provided testimony to the widespread barrage of terror and carnage that had been imparted on the former occupants of these rooms.

The wind could be heard through the gaping holes in several rooms where Skull ships had penetrated the citadel with their deadly laser beams. The blackened fissures showed the grimfaced visitors anything from glimpses of an azure sky to an entire view of the surrounding landscape. As each soft gust of air rushed in, a mournful wail echoed through the shadowy hallways, in a disturbing imitation of the cries of innocents who had been cut down by the forces of evil. The sorrowful sound and the numerous personal belongings scattered wildly throughout the corridor underscored the ruthless intensity with which the enemy had attacked.

"So much for fairy tales, " Lieutenant Commander Sven Rolvaag remarked softly to his leader. "Anyone thinking _this _particular castle is romantic hasn't been on Planet Arus for the last few decades."

Captain Keith Powell, who had been glancing around him with a growing sense of futility, grimaced in response to his best friend's comment. "It must have been a really beautiful place before Zarkon decided to trash it."

Walking over to a small room, he gazed sadly at all of the furnishings it contained, at the stained carpets and smashed paintings and objects 'd art that must have breathtaking in their formerly pristine condition. As he moved on to the next room, the sight that met his gaze was even harder to take; it obviously had been some type of play room for the children. Little chairs were scattered everywhere, and a long, overturned table lay next to them. Toys were scattered everywhere, most of them beyond repair. Keith tried to quell the rage that rose in him when he spotted the charred remains of a child's storybook and the torn remnants of a stuffed lamb lying next to a splintered rocking horse. He closed his eyes briefly, not wanting to think about what might have happened to the children that had occupied this room. Instead he tried to focus on the positive; in his mind's eye he pictured the grandeur behind the squalor and for a moment the corridor seemed to warm with the presence of the Royal court and its staff. The chipped whitewash on the walls brightened, the scent of roses filled the air, and the cheery sounds of children's voices echoed through the deserted passageways. Contentment and peace had been the true ruling powers here until Planet Doom loosed its ugly destructive force upon the realm. It could be a haven again, if they could defeat that reptilian Drule, once and for all.

The stirring, determined thought jolted the Commander back to reality. He opened his eyes, and took in the scene around him. Most of the fine trappings around him lay in shreds, or were charred beyond recognition. The only scent was one of dampness and mildew mixed with despair. Stillness reigned here; the happy voices of Arus' future had been brutally silenced. He felt the sting of angry tears as he bitterly reflected on the brilliant civilization that, at present, was reduced to mere rubble. He had witnessed countless sights like this one, but it never failed to deeply disturb him. The day it did, the day that he became impervious to the horrors of war, would be the day he resigned from the Garrison. Battle hardened or not, never would he let himself become as unfeeling, as callous, as the monster named Zarkon. Seeped in despair, he barely took heed when a comforting hand firmly grasped his shoulder.

Sven met the anguished eyes of his best friend, his own clear blue gaze shining with kindly optimism. "We can still help, you know. Many are hiding in the caves; Yurak hasn't taken them all. There are ...children... still alive in those caves."

Keith swallowed hard, and his hands clenched into fists. "If only we could have gotten here sooner... if only the Garrison had been quicker to act!"

Sven gave his shoulder a sympathetic squeeze before removing his hand and gave silent thanks that his commanding officer trusted him enough to show his true feelings on occasion. Although Keith was renowned for his incredible self-control, Sven knew the aftermath of a war probably affected his friend more profoundly than any of them. The man carried a lot of personal and professional heartache underneath his cool veneer, and that wasn't ever a healthy thing to keep bottled up. "Ja, it is nice to tink that ve could've made a difference. But it didn't happen that vay, and now ve must deal vith the problems of the present, not the regrets of the past. Pointing the finger of blame vill get us nowhere." The lilting brogue of the lieutenant grew thicker than ever, as it always did when he was deeply moved.

The Captain of Voltron turned to fully face his comrade-in-arms and inclined his head in acknowledgement of the statement's simple logic. Both men felt their steadfast resolve to aid the beleaguered Arusians increase tenfold in that moment. Then Keith's eyes lost a little of their anguish as he said, "Thanks, my friend; you always know what to say at a time like this."

"Why thank you, Captain...I only vish I could be as silver tongued with the ladies. They don't always appreciate me the way you do." Sven chuckled, hoping the change of subject to something lighter would also lighten his friend's morose mood.

Keith flashed his rare grin, for a moment becoming the mischievous boy from their academy days. "Don't worry, Lieutenant, I have a feeling you'll run into some female around this galaxy who can tolerate your warped humor."

"Hmmm..." The Lieutenant's shrewd blue eyes narrowed in speculation. "Right now I'd say that isn't likely since the only woman here is the Princess... and somehow I yust can't see myself cracking jokes with such a charming, but very solemn young lady." He watched his commander closely as he spoke, trying to gauge the younger man's reaction to a casual mention of the remarkable Princess Allura. The Norseman had developed certain suspicions in regards to how his friend _really_ felt about the dazzling blonde royal...and the expression on Keith's face confirmed them all in a heartbeat.

Keith cursed silently as images of the golden haired Allura danced through his thoughts despite his best efforts to quell them. Even worse, his traitorous body was tightening in ways that had become all too frequent and familiar in the last couple of weeks since he had met her. The feelings he stubbornly refused to define had not needed even that brief span of time to blossom, they had been there the instant he laid eyes on her. He couldn't shake the notion that she was the key to his future, although it was beyond him how one could determine that in the space of a few seconds. In any case, her shy friendliness and gracious words of welcome had been rays of hope for all, helping them to emerge from the pit of ugliness that war had wrought. Her tears of loss and longing for her people had given all of them, but especially him, an intensely personal reason to fight for Arus.

In subsequent days, he had quickly come to value her extraordinary intelligence, courage and intrinsic goodness as well.

The Princess had proven herself to be more than just a figurehead for the planet, Keith thought proudly. She manned the Ops panel like a pro, was constantly looking for ways to fortify their position, and he had no doubt that if she was given the opportunity, she'd gladly battle the enemy, using any means necessary. Her compassion for her suffering people had no bounds. She was amazing...and that soft, doe-like gaze of hers had a way of making a man want to wrap himself around her and never let go. Not to mention the incredibly sweet smile and her gorgeous shape...

"Hey there...halll-ooo! Are you still vit me, Captain?"

As Sven's amused tones knifed into his commander's meditations. Keith gave a guilty start. "Sorry. Got distracted for a second." He replied tersely, feeling a telltale blush rising from under the white neckband of his uniform.

"It's all right. I know what you were thinking, and I concur, my friend." Sven said, sounding a bit wistful. "She's beautiful, smart, and courageous. I confess I have nothing but the highest regard for her."

"We all do, " The Voltron captain replied shortly, his expression giving away none of the strange new yearnings that coursed through him whenever he thought of the fair Allura. When the feeling became too intense to conceal, he turned away on the pretext of scanning the hallway.

It didn't fool Sven for a minute. "Yes, but I think that only one of us actually has a chance to be with her," he replied slyly.

"Who?" Keith spun around quickly, his dark eyes fierce with an unnamed emotion as he glared at the smiling pilot of blue Lion.

The dark haired Scandinavian paused for a moment, all of a sudden wondering how much he should say; after all, it wasn't his place to push them together. If it were meant to be, then it would happen in time. Besides that, how could he explain to his no-nonsense, occasionally obstinate friend the particulars of love at first sight? How could he explain the concept of karma? It would be more prudent to just relate his observations regarding the Princess and let the Captain draw his own conclusions.

"Well, it was clear to me that she had eyes for only one man vhen we first met her," he began.

Keith interrupted, making sure to keep his expression neutral.. "Yeah, I saw the way she looked at you when you kissed her hand," he challenged the Norseman. "She was glowing to the point I swear I could see these little sparkly things around her. So what, if anything, are you going to do about it?'

"Sparkly things? For me?" Sven started to shake with half-repressed mirth. "You can't be seri-" He stopped chuckling as he noticed the dangerous glint in the Commander's eyes. Time to tread carefully, his instincts advised. After all, a man had to keep his pride in dealing with these things, in spite of the fact that the confident Captain was often reduced to the edgy behavior of an infatuated schoolboy whenever Princess Allura got anywhere near him. Only a rigid military bearing and training saved him from total mortification. And it wasn't like he and the other guys were impervious to the impact of big blue eyes and flowing tresses of gold- quite the opposite in fact. He found Allura extremely appealing, in part because she greatly reminded him in words and deed, of the spirited women of his beloved Norge.

However, feeling a little attracted to someone wasn't true love.

In contrast, Keith was totally, and in all likelihood, eternally captivated.

Now was not the time to tease. Maybe later.

"As much as I vould like to think she favors me, that is not the case."

"Dammit! It's Lance, isn't it?"

Sven quickly shook his head in denial, but the dejected Commander didn't notice, being intent on finishing his misguided appraisal. "Lance is a great guy, but I don't know if he feels the same way and he hasn't said anything about her, really. Which is strange, considering he has a weakness for blonds."

"And brunettes…and redheads..." the lieutenant added dryly, but Keith ignored the comment.

"No matter how he feels, he's going to be impossible to live with when he figures it out, you know...it would be a major ego boost to have Allura find you worthy of her love."

Sven rolled his eyes heavenward, and then glared at his friend in mock annoyance. "Jeg finner meg ikke i mer, dumskalle!"

Keith bristled immediately; he understood very little Norwegian, but he knew enough to know when he'd been insulted.It was an unacceptable situation between a lieutenant and a captain, no matter how good the intentions behind it.

Sven returned his glare. "Yeez, man, vake up and smell the lutefisk! I vas talking about you, _Drommeprins_!"

Keith opened his mouth to issue a blistering reprimand and then stopped as the rest of Sven's declaration finally sunk in. His eyes went wide with astonishment, and he promptly forgot he should be chastising his friend. "B-but she's barely said anything to me, except to talk about Voltron...how-"

Sven crossed his arms over his chest. "Exactly. She has no trouble talking to any of the rest of us; she's comfortable with us because we are just _friends_. You are a different matter altogether, she's aware of you in a way I , Lance, Hunk or Pidge could only dream of..."

"I don't how you can know that for certain, Sven!"

"Keith, did you know she constantly watches you when you pull duty in Ops? I've caught her several times lurking outside the door, peeking in at you. She always blushes and makes up some excuse to leave when I try to question her."

"Maybe it's because she doesn't trust me."

Sven gave an inelegant snort. "Ja, right. Let's see now..." He batted his eyelashes in a fair imitation of the Princess, speaking in a soft falsetto. "Keith, please return safely..." He clasped his hands together, smiling brightly. "Oh Keith, you're so handsome and brave..."

"She never said that!"

"She doesn't have to; it's all in her face whenever she looks at you."

"Well even if she does sort of like me, there's nothing I can do about it."

"Why not?"

"Garrison regulations...Section six, paragraph three."

"My friend, that refers to commanding officers and their subordinates, and you are not her commanding officer. In fact, I believe she outranks you!"

"Well, we did make her an honorary member of the VF, and I am the Captain, so she is under me in that regard-" Keith stopped abruptly, and blushed at the double entendre of his own words.

Sven grinned broadly in response, but much to his friend's relief, didn't take the proffered bait.

"Anyway, I have no business thinking about my personal life when there is a planet to save." The Captain added somberly. "Arus comes first."

Sven nodded, his smile fading. There was no arguing with that fact. "Let's go, then, ve have a lot of ground to cover-"

A soft sneeze captured their attention. In a split second they had drawn their blasters.

"I think it came from down there," Keith whispered, indicating the partially open wooden door at the very end of the hallway.

"Let's go check it out, but be careful; it could be looters or vorse," his companion replied in a low tone.

They crept towards the door, making sure to stay on the runner that muffled the clatter of their boots. Keith cursed the red color of his uniform for the umpteenth time; he stood out like a beacon in the shadows, whereas Sven blended in quite nicely with his navy blue attire.

They now stood outside the door, craning their necks to try to spot the room's occupant, who had sneezed several times by now. The sneezes sounded quite soft for a man, but it wasn't wise to make snap assumptions. They took up stations on each side of the doorway, blasters at the ready. The two friends exchanged glances and nodded at each other. Sven reached out a cautious hand and gave the door a gentle push, fully expecting its hinges to groan in protest. To his surprise, it swung open easily and soundlessly.

The entire room was now visible, and what Keith and Sven saw in it made them stand down. Arms dropping to their sides, they blinked at the sight before them in bewilderment.

How had _she_ gotten here without them seeing her?

**To be continued...:)**


	2. The Legacy

**A Ray of Hope**

_A Bonds of Love Prequel_

**By (Kitty)Lynne **

_(Insert the usual I don't own any part of Voltron, W.E.P. and Toei do, relative disclaimers...)_

Chapter 2: The Legacy

Allura knew she shouldn't have been anywhere near the West wing of the castle. Coran, her guardian, had made that abundantly clear to her in the stern lecture she had received after being caught on her last furtive visit. Although the older man had explained to her in excruciating detail that this part of the Castle was structurally unsound and dangerously unprotected, his reprimand hadn't fazed her in the least. For her, it was worth risking an injury to restore the place her parents had once called their 'refuge from reality'.

The Princess had privately admitted to herself that the rest of the annex was in far worse shape, and should have been attended to first- but truthfully, she didn't care one iota about saving the rest of her crumbling birthright. Only one room meant anything to her in the godforsaken pile of rocks that had once been called a castle- her parent's bedroom, a very comfortable and welcoming space which held many happy and comforting memories of the two people she had loved most dearly.

It was also the last place Allura had seen her mother alive.

The Princess had spent many hours cleaning and repairing the room's contents in order to restore them to their former comfort and splendor. She had dusted and swept, washed, and scrubbed her fingers raw cleaning up the debris from the furnishings and rugs. The sheer blue draperies of the canopied bed had been painstakingly taken down and both they and the embroidered royal blue coverlet had been washed several times to free them from the acrid smell of smoke. The teakwood dresser set, night tables and the Queen's personal vanity had been polished with oil until they shone with a rich patina.

What was left of her mother's collection of novels was carefully shelved along the built in bookshelves on one wall, along with her collectable statues of famous romantic couples in Arusian history. A few of the King's wooden lion carvings also remained, their deliberate positioning around the statues appearing quite protective. Two overstuffed chairs, a love seat, and a small rocker sat in front of the bookcase and the marble fireplace on the opposite wall.

The royal family of Arus had spent many pleasant hours in that corner; Alana and Allura singing, talking, or inventing stories, Alfor usually reading technical manuals, diplomatic documents, or writing in his endless collection of diaries. However the King would look always look up from time to time, with a twinkle in his deep blue eyes, to throw in droll observations on the absurd stories being told by Alana. At least he always said they were absurd, but Allura noticed he listened as keenly as she did; he only pretended not to, in order to tease her mother.

Coran had already confiscated her Father's journals, in the hopes of finding entries about Voltron or any other means of defense. Alfor had constantly been working on ideas for fortifying Arus; he had known full well the malevolence they were up against and had tried to prepare for it; trying to stop it himself had cost him his life.

The Princess looked down at the frame she was clenching in her hands, and then quickly walked to the vanity. She automatically reached out one hand to straighten the pearl colored brush and comb that lay upon its surface. The brush still held a few strands of her mother's golden hair; because of that, Allura refused to take it, preferring to leave it where it had last been used. Cosmetics were piled neatly in a shallow glass bowl, along with a crucible filled with cold cream. Behind the cosmetics sat a huge crystal bottle with a lion's head stopper, empty now, but ready to be filled with the floral essences that made up Queen Alana's favorite fragrance.

Next to these personal items she placed the silver plated frame containing one of the rare photographs she had of the King and Queen. It was her favorite candid photo of them; a close up profile of the Royal couple smiling at each other, noses pressed together, as if they were sharing a particularly delightful secret. Coran had told her he had taken the picture the day it was announced Alana was expecting her first child. The weary brown eyes of her guardian had shone softly at the memory, and a rare smile had tilted the drooping mustache upwards for a moment or two.

Allura smiled through her tears as she ran a loving finger over the glass shielded faces in the snapshot. The knowledge that her parents had been deeply in love with each other and had used that love to create her had consoled Allura, and had helped her through their untimely deaths. Her mother had often informed her that she was a legacy of the love Alfor and Alana shared, and a symbol of their commitment to one another and Planet Arus. That statement had taken on even more profound meaning since the last attack on Arus by Planet Doom.

_Mother, Father… I'm going to save Arus and make you proud- I swear it!_

The Princess sighed and unconsciously squared her slumped shoulders. She was unshakably resolute in her desire to honor her parents and her people by learning to defend their world. _If I'm permitted to, that is_. She qualified as she brushed away the last beads of moisture that clung to her lashes.

This room was her doorway to the past, a shrine to her parents and what used to be. It also was a reminder to Allura of what was really important in life. Love was everything; without love, one had nothing. If it wouldn't mean the ruin of Arus, she would have gladly given up her title and lands for a few precious moments with her parents. Tears stung her eyes once again and she furiously blinked them away. Determined not to give in to despair, she cast about for something to distract her from her grief.

The first thing that came to mind was that even with the new draperies and bedspread, the overall atmosphere of chamber felt dark and dreary. Allura studied the dingy walls with a critical eye. The whitewash was faded and peeling in some places…but wait; there was a splash of brightness in the 'reading corner', as her mother had christened it. Allura walked to the spot and smiled brightly as her gaze fell upon the still-colorful tapestry hanging near the bookshelves.

The fabric squares in the hanging depicted the adventures of a young princess in a magical land. Her mother had spun many tales about this imaginary princess for her wide- eyed daughter as they lay on the plush rug in the hour following supper. The princess' journey and the people she met were depicted in succession within the various panels. In one spot on the canvas a witch worked her black magic and monsters poured forth to chase the young woman. The next panel depicted a dark haired knight appearing to assist the golden-haired princess, and they battled the monsters together. That had been an especially exciting and romantic part of her mother's narrative; Allura had been completely enthralled that night.

Although the scenes following the monster-filled panel seemed tender in nature, Alana had never related the tale that went with the depicted romance between the Princess and her Knight Protector. The Queen's life had been taken soon after she had related the first meeting of the fictional couple, so the charming fairy-tale had been left for Allura to finish on her own. Fortunately the panels were detailed, and implied quite a bit, and the Arusian princess hoped that someday she'd be able to relate the entire tale for her own children. Of course, that depended on her surviving Doom's raids to actually have some… and solving the problem of with whom she should have them. In between the constant attacks on her planet and having to stay in hiding with Coran, her interest in having a romance had been nil until the young Space Explorers had arrived.

An image of the dark haired Voltron pilot leapt into her mind and the Princess smiled dreamily. Keith was intelligent, handsome and valiant, and she was positive his future children would follow in his footsteps. She had also seen his innate kindness and compassion these last few days. If she weren't careful, she could find herself in the midst of a full blown crush…and it didn't help that his soft, sable eyes always seemed to be beckoning her to plumb the depths of his soul…

Allura mentally shook herself. It was no use fantasizing about that particular male; he was all business and wouldn't have much time to humor a moony- eyed Princess, not to mention the fact that he and the others probably would be getting orders to leave after Arus was saved, and the Alliance needed help elsewhere. The thought brought a piercing sadness that shocked her to the core and she immediately closed herself off to it. All the men of the Voltron Force were wonderful, but to pine after any of them would be folly, at least at this point, and would probably add to her multitude of heartaches.

It doesn't matter how wonderful he is, Allura thought regretfully. Romantic diversions aren't an option for me, not until Arus is safe. She gazed wistfully at the panel where the knight was holding the princess in his strong embrace, and then stared in awe at the knight who suddenly seemed eerily familiar. Tall and muscular, with hair the color of ebony, he was dressed in-

Her perusal abruptly ended as the hair on the back of her neck began to prickle and her inner sense told her that she was being observed.

The Princess' heart began to thud with nervousness and her throat went dry, but she bravely spun around to confront whoever or whatever was behind her –and then stifled a small shriek as not one but _two_ dark haired knights stepped out of the shadows to greet her.

To be continued...:)


	3. Discovery

**A Ray of Hope**:

**_A Bonds of Love Prequel _**

**By KittyLynne **

(Please insert the I don't own Voltron and never will dang it all, unless I win the lottery disclaimer right here.)

**Chapter Three: Discovery**

"Princess, what in the world are you doing in here?"

The Captain of Voltron moved toward the Princess of Arus with slow, measured steps. His deep brown eyes were riveted on her face and what she liked to think of as his 'defender of the helpless' expression was in full evidence on his handsome face.

Allura's right hand lifted to toy with the strands of hair that had slipped over her shoulder as she tried to formulate a reply to his question. Her heart was still jumping within her breast, partly in relief, partly in reaction to the pilots' sudden appearance and partly at being in Keith's company without the stern presence and watchful gaze of her guardian, Coran. She felt and then quickly dismissed the absurd impulse to flee from the advancing Terran. It wasn't that she was afraid of him exactly; it was just his overwhelming masculinity that unnerved her, that was all. _Remain calm, Allura. He's not interested in you as a woman; he's only duty in protecting the health and well being of a planet's leader, that's all. _

But even as she repeated the familiar mantra, her subconscious was still noting the grace with which he moved and his well proportioned body. He was tall by Arusian standards, with wide shoulders tapering to a flat abdomen and lean hips. His thighs were muscular and firm looking. All in all, he had a beautiful body, built for endurance and making-_what was she doing_? Suddenly very aware of the risque direction her subconscious had taken, the Princess jerked her wandering glance back up to Keith's face in time to see his eyes widen in surprise. She stopped twisting her hair and crossed her arms protectively across her waist, somehow managing to not to blush while calmly meeting his inquiring gaze, her tranquil features masking the turmoil swirling within her.

She had never felt comfortable around the remarkable Captain; in fact, she often retreated behind the cloak of her title to get up the nerve to speak to him. Even the consistently chivalrous manner with which he treated her had done nothing to put her at ease, although she greatly appreciated his courtesy. When it came to matters of defense, she had no problem seeking Keith out to converse with him; if it were a personal matter, she found herself confiding in Sven or Lance. Why that was, she couldn't say, for Keith had more than proven his loyalty to Arus, and to the crown as well- not to mention the numerous kindnesses he had shown her people. Keith had done nothing whatsoever to put her on edge like this, absolutely nothing, yet she was unnaturally stilted in her behavior toward him. It wasn't _his_ fault; it was hers. She just couldn't relax in his company, for reasons that remained a mystery to her.

He puzzled her. He fascinated her. There was something very special about him.

_I'm confused. What is it about this man that affects me so deeply? Why can't I treat him like the others? _

One thing she did know for sure; in spite of her nervousness, Allura took secret pleasure in the rare times she had Keith's undivided attention. She also liked the Terran brashness with which he addressed her and the directness of his gaze. Ripples of awareness always spread to every part of her body in reaction to the intensity in his expression _whenever_ he looked at her.

Like now.

Her bemused gaze darted to Lieutenant Rolvaag, who remained at the open door in deference to his leader. Sven was so handsome and kind, and she always felt secure in his company. Even now, he was giving her his quick, engaging smile as if to encourage her in some way. She quickly smiled back at him, before the Captain's red-clad shoulders and chest blocked her view of his companion. She glanced up at Keith and all thoughts of the Lieutenant flew to the back of her mind. Her heart skipped a beat, and her innards quivered. He was so very close, barely two hands' widths away. If she took but a half step forward, she would be pressed up against his incredible body. She hastily lowered her gaze and stared at the Garrison insignia below his left shoulder, shyness overcoming decorum.

The Captain looked steadily down at the top of her head, arms at his sides, ebony-colored eyebrows lowered over a very solemn expression.

"How did you get in here, Princess? You _do_ understand it's too dangerous for you to walk around the Castle, alone and unprotected, don't you? Does Coran know you're here?" His stern tone made Allura flinch, but she remained mute, her eyes lifting to look intently into his.

Keith stared into the darkening blue pools of emotion and swallowed hard.

He cursed himself for his gruffness. He had spoken without thinking, spurred on by worry-based adrenaline, and his personal feelings. The Princess was damned appealing; what guy in his right mind _wouldn't_ be enamored of her? Why did she have to have such incredible eyes, anyway? Why did her mouth have to look so kissable? And why in the name of all that was fair and just, did she have to be a _princess_?

Now that he was this close to her, he was amazed at how small she truly was; he guessed her regal bearing had made her seem taller to him, in actuality, the top of her head barely reached his chin. He found he rather liked that fact, and a distant corner of his mind took note that she was the perfect height to fit into the curve of his shoulder. That fact, coupled with the view of her delicate frame sent a surge of protectiveness mixed with admiration rocketing through him. She _was_ exquisite and fragile looking, but stronger in spirit than any woman he had ever known.

Gradually Keith became aware of the warmth of her body, and realized he was standing much closer to Allura than good manners allowed. Their eyes locked and he had to stifle a groan of frustration at the sensual thoughts that raced through his mind. If he had any sense at all, he'd back off right now and let Sven handle this matter with levelheaded Norske charm. He fiercely willed his feet to move out of the realm of temptation.

Nothing happened. Evidently, his body had lost connection with his brain, because he remained where he was and so did the Princess, both of them acutely aware of the strange undercurrents that flowed between them.

Allura stared at Keith, and noticed for the first time that his nostrils tended to flare when he was troubled. Her head slowly tipped back and her lips parted slightly as if to speak, but the words would not come. _He looks like there's something on his mind, no- I can feel it; his conflict and worry..._

It was strange; for a moment Allura was sure she had connected with Keith and could sense his emotional state, that her innate inner sight had succeeded in perceiving an immense but unresolved passion beneath the stoic facade of the Alliance pilot. Her expression softened at the discovery and her eyes sparkled with a strange luminosity as her gaze roamed over Keith's darkly handsome features. The urge to reach up and tenderly stroke one of the two glossy tendrils of hair that lay in front of his ears grew stronger, and she interlaced her fingers to deny herself the forbidden treat. However, her expression revealed all as she watched him.

One of his black eyebrows quirked upwards, and a small smile touched the Captain's lips. He looked as if he was experiencing something that pleased him immensely. "Princess?"

His voice had softened, and his expression now held unexpected warmth. His glowing dark eyes were rapidly melting her resolve to stay aloof.

"Yes Keith?" she said on a breath, her hands quickly unclasping in response to the warmth and preparing to reach out to him-

"_Ahem_, I'm still here," A male voice interjected from the open doorway.

The spell was broken. Keith hastily dropped his arms to his sides and stepped backwards, prudently putting some extra breathing space between him and temptation.

"Although I'd be happy to leave, if anyone asks," Sven continued daringly, though he was certain that no one was listening. Judging by the enraptured looks the Princess and Captain we exchanging, he supposed he had better get used to that feeling.

"Uh... Princess, are you, um, going to answer me?" Keith forced himself to drop his soft smile in favor of a carefully guarded expression.

Allura was jolted back to reality, to the fact that she had been brazenly gawking at Keith, practically inviting him to take her in his arms. She had almost made a fool of herself, all because of some silly attraction she had to the Black Lion pilot. She absolutely _had_ to get control of herself and her hormones before he noticed the effect he had on her.

_It's way too late …with the way you've been staring at him, he has to have sensed that you're attracted!_ An inner voice berated her. Allura blushed, and the tip of her tongue came out to moisten her suddenly dry lips.

Keith's eyes followed the nervous movement for a moment, his expression bland, but with a flicker of untamed emotion in the depths of his eyes. He was fighting a battle with his principles and barely holding his own. When the Princess had looked into his eyes, he had seen the truth of what Sven had been trying to tell him shining in their azure depths. She was attracted to him! The amazing discovery had sparked the wild impulse to grab her and lay a huge one on her luscious lips, regardless of the cost to his peace of mind.

This lapse of discipline did not bode well for any future encounters with the beautiful, virginal Princess.

_I can't let it distract me from our mission. _He reasoned_. Saving Arus comes before my personal life. Besides, it's against regulations, and the Garrison would have fits. Allura must be thinking the same way...yes, I can see her tensing up; she's got to be realizing what almost happened and hopefully, why it shouldn't. _

He should have been relieved that he was making the appropriate decision; instead, he felt incredibly cheated so he allowed himself one sweeping perusal of her body. He noticed with mild surprise that the normally well kept pink pantsuit had numerous splotches of dirt and that there were numerous scuffs on her white boots. From the bedroom's appearance and her own, it looked like she had been spending some major time on her hands and knees, doing clean-up duty. Funny how he hadn't noticed her disheveled appearance before. His eyes traveled back up to the anxious blue eyes and slightly parted lips, and it dawned on him that they had given her a bad fright. He should have at least asked how she was; what was wrong with him?

All he could think of when he first saw her was that she shouldn't be there, that there had been no one around to protect her, and if something had happened to her, he'd never forgive himself. Straight away, Keith made a silent vow to himself that he'd always keep her protected, even if it meant having to see to her security personally. Even so, she did need to realize that although she could count on the Voltron Force to defend her, she shouldn't be taking needless risks and he opened his mouth to tell her just that.

"I came through the hidden passageway," The Princess said suddenly, sidetracking him from the intended lecture.

"Hidden passageway?" He echoed in bewilderment.

"_Ja da_, of course! That's not a surprise, really; when you think about it, every castle in history has had its secrets, " Sven spoke, while coming forward.

He walked straight past Keith and Allura, to the spot adjacent to the marble fireplace. He studied the area for a moment, and then pushed on what appeared to be a solid rock wall to the left of the mantelpiece. A narrow door, just big enough for one person to slip through, noiselessly swung inward, revealing a darkened portal. The light from the room penetrated the dark, and the top of a stone staircase could be seen.

"Wow," Keith breathed, impressed.

He followed the Princess over to where Sven was standing.

"This was put in for security; in case Mother and Father needed to escape an intruder or an attack of some sort." Allura informed them. "It leads down to the shelter in the cellar, and also to the crypt where my Father now rests."

"They wouldn't have to take the risk of exiting through the hallway, and if an intruder did get this far, it would look like the room was empty," Sven stated, and the Princess nodded in agreement.

Keith studied the opening and then remarked thoughtfully, "So this is how you got into the wing without us noticing you." His eyes turned to her for a response.

She nodded again. "Yes, Coran knows about the passageway, but he doesn't know I am here, right now. Or for that matter, that I have continued to visit this place for purely sentimental reasons after he forbade me to." A guilty flush appeared on her cheeks, as she braced herself for what she knew was a well-deserved sermon on reckless behavior. She chanced a look at Keith, and was taken aback to see that his face had relaxed, and his eyes held nothing but compassion.

"I'm impressed, Princess. You've done a great job - especially if it looked anything close to the other rooms we saw in this wing."

He gave her a shy grin, and an exultant smile lit Allura's face in response._ He's not going to scold me! He understands! _ "It's taken me a good month, actually. Coran helped me to begin with, but only in regards to the things we removed that were of strategic or monetary value." Her smile slowly faded away as she added, "I couldn't bear to see a part of my parent's lives reduced to dust like everything else around us. I decided to clean it as a way to show them my resolve to make certain that, like this room, Arus will rise from the ruins, stronger and even more beautiful than before."

She turned away from the two men, not wanting them to see the tears welling in her eyes lest they think of her as weak and overly sentimental.

Both pilots were quick to move to her side. Sven boldly reached out to take her hand in both of his. His hands were gentle and comforting, and she sent him a swimming but hopeful gaze, grateful for the gracious expression of sympathy. "Princess, we will help you attain this goal. Zarkon will never prevail." He gave her hand a warm squeeze before releasing it.

"Sven's right- we're with you all the way, Princess! We're here to help, for as long as you and Arus need us." Keith vowed, determination shining in his eyes. He hadn't put a protective arm around her, but the compassion and warmth of his words had exactly the same effect.

She smiled tremulously at both men. "Thank you, you don't know how good it is to know that someone understands how I feel and that I'm not all alone anymore."

Keith was quick to respond. "You are definitely not alone, Allura, and you never will be again if I have anything to say about it." Too late he realized his slip, and he could feel his cheeks burning as he stared helplessly at the Princess. Mercifully she seemed not to have caught on to the hidden feeling driving his rash words, and merely bestowed a benevolent smile upon him.

"Thank you Keith, you are so very kind."

Keith shrugged as he gave her a quick, embarrassed smile- and then reluctantly met Sven's shrewd gaze over the top of the Princess' golden head. He wasn't at all surprised to see the telltale sparkle of mischief in his friend's clear blue eyes. Of _course_ the double meaning in his statement would _not_ have escaped the notice of the worldly Lieutenant as it had the innocent Princess –well…at least it had for now. Allura had proven on several occasions to have a well developed intuition. Couple that with her excellent grasp of what made people tick, and add the time necessary to mull over his remark, it was very likely she would begin to realize that he cared far more about her as a person than a soldier- for -hire should-

"So what's the story behind the tapestry over there?" He blurted into the silence, hoping to divert her attention to a less treacherous topic.

"It's a family heirloom; one that's very dear to me." She replied, gazing fondly at the vibrantly colored hanging that stood out like a beacon against the dingy stone wall.

"Seems to me there are a lot of things in here that you'd like to have, Princess..." Keith broke off as his sharp sense of hearing detected Sven's soft chuckle. He shot a fiery-eyed glare at his friend, and then continued. "I think it's fantastic you have restored their room like this, but I also think they'd prefer you take the objects that mean most to you to a place where you can enjoy them in safety. They wouldn't want you risking your life for the past. The future, maybe-but that's a different story."

"I agree, Princess. It's your memories of them that are important, not material things." Sven said gently.

The two pilots held their breaths. Had they overstepped their boundaries? This was an intensely personal matter, even if it did involve the Princess' security, which technically _did_ fall into their territory.

Keith spoke again, throwing caution to the wind. "I think restoring this room was a type of therapy for you, a way to show yourself you could do it alone, against all odds. Now that we are here to assist you, and we are working together, I'll- I mean, _we'll_ need you with us more than ever. If you put as much of your determination into reaching out to your people as you have this room, we've got it made!"

Sven looked at his friend in astonishment. If he didn't know better, he'd swear his leader had studied the art of diplomacy- or the psychology of a woman's mind, because what he had said had hit the bulls-eye.

Allura had squared her shoulders and was looking at Keith with something akin to joy. "You're right Commander. Absolutely right! Would you help me choose just a few small mementos?"

"We'd be very glad to help!" Keith told her in a hearty voice. "Wouldn't we, Sven?"

"_Ja_, of course we would!"

The Princess grinned at the two Lion pilots. "Thank you." Her grin took on a rueful edge. "Just be prepared to get dirty- I didn't have a ladder so I couldn't give the higher shelves a decent dusting."

The Norwegian grinned back. "Lance is much better at getting dirty than I am, but I promise I'll do my-UFF DA!" Sven bellowed in pain as Keith purposely trod upon his foot-the one the Captain knew very well Sven had severely bruised in their last battle.

"I'm sorry, guess I wasn't paying attention." Keith said. His tone was apologetic but his eyes snapped a warning.

"No problem." The Lieutenant grimaced as he flexed the abused foot. "Guess I should thank you for demonstrating what happens when I don't 'watch my step'."

Allura giggled. Keith gave a nonchalant snort of amusement, but Sven still didn't miss the burning intensity in his friend's gaze as it lingered upon the Princess' face and then lowered to sweep over her sweetly curved form.

Sven sighed in exasperation, and then grinned to himself as an idea suddenly popped into his mind. "I am going to find a container- you two can start packing." He blithely informed his companions, and then limped toward the door, enjoying the sensation of furious dark eyes boring a hole into his back. _You glare at me now, but you'll thank me later, my friend._

After Sven had made his exit, the Captain continued to fret. _Just who does he think is in charge? That's twice in ten minutes he's shanghaied my authority!_

"Captain? Is something wrong?"

Keith turned to look at Allura and his indignation dissolved under her warm-eyed regard. "Oh no, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking." He forced an unconcerned smile, which quickly faded as it finally dawned on him what his friend had just done to him.

Sven wasn't trying to usurp authority- he was trying to play cupid!

Thanks to the crafty Norseman, Keith was now alone with the girl of his dreams.

With no steely eyed guardian in attendance.

In a bedroom fit for a king.

With an oversized, fully functional bed.

Oh God.

To be continued….


	4. Tapestry of a Fabled Life

**A Ray of Hope**

_A Bonds of Love Prequel _

**By (Kitty) Lynne**

_I don't own any part of the story of Voltron or its characters, but the lucky people at W.E.P. and Toei Animation do.) _

_Author's note: This story was originally posted under the pen name 'Lynne'. As always the symbols '' around a sentence denote a character's thoughts. I'd like to extend a huge thank you to Light Phoenix and DarkKishi for their very kind and very much appreciated reviews:D _

**Chapter Four: Tapestry of a Fabled Life**

"Oh, I do hope he's all right," Allura murmured, as she watched Sven hobble out of sight. Her fingers idly sought out and smoothed back several loose strands of hair that had escaped from her chignon. _Ooh, I must look_ _an absolute fright, no wonder Sven was smiling at me in spite of his pain! _

Keith felt his heart thumping in double time as he turned to face his companion. Oh no, she was sitting on the bed! This was not good…anywhere but there- _criminy_, now she was taking her hair down! It had been half undone anyway, but still...

Images of how the golden tresses would appear when spread out on the velveteen coverlet instantly filled his mind, along with how it would feel to have his hands entwined in the silky strands as he bent over her to give her a passionate kiss. His heart pounding from the forbidden feelings the fantasy engendered, Keith chanced a sideways glance at the Princess. Allura was still gazing after the dashing Lieutenant, as she absently pulled hairpin after hairpin from her coiffure. From the bemused look she wore, it was obvious she was thinking about Sven, a notion that was as welcome to him as a cold shower.

_Hah! If she even knew a fraction of the b.s. Rolvaag used to pull at the Academy, she wouldn't fall for his stunt. _Keith thought, even while he grudgingly admitted to himself that he'd also been fooled until he realized Sven had returned limping on the _opposite_foot. "Don't worry, Princess. Sven's fine," he stated dryly.

Allura took in his amused expression and frowned. "He shouldn't be bearing full weight on that foot if it's injured. It looked like he was in considerable pain."

_Not as much pain as he could be in if he pulls a stunt like this again. _Keith thought sourly. "Trust me, Princess...I've known Sven for a long time, and I can say that without a doubt that he'll make a quick recovery."

"If you say so." She conceded, a bit skeptically. " I guess I had better start deciding on what I want to take before he returns, shouldn't I?"

Keith nodded stiffly, and the Princess returned her attention to fixing her hair. His irritation soon drained away, however, as he watched her stroke her fingers through the unbound waves in a search for stray fasteners. That glorious golden mane ...he was completely enthralled with it, and desperately wanted to immerse himself in its silky fragrance, but common sense prevailed and he only turned away from the intoxicating sight.

Allura jumped to her feet to dump the rest of her hairpins on a nearby night table. "Okay, I'm ready! First thing I would like to take care of is my mother's tapestry- could you get it down for me please?"

"No problem." Keith looked around, searching for something on which to stand; the hanging was out of reach even for someone of his considerable height. He spotted a solid looking straight-backed chair and went to drag it over to the wall. As he worked to disengage the fastening wire from the wall, he inquired, "The panels look like they're in sequences. Would it happen to be some kind of a story? "

"Why yes... one that was a favorite of mine as a child." Allura laughed softly. "You might have liked it too. From my studies, I know that it has all of the required elements of a good Terran fairy tale; monsters, witches, a castle, and a Princess."

"And a knight in shining armor?" Keith joked, as he grasped the freed tapestry. It was an armful and then some, but then again it would have to be, to be able to showcase an entire storyline. It was also quite heavy, and he was pleased when the Princess quickly a reached out to hold the ends of it as he carefully stepped off the chair.

"Of course!" She said, responding to his question. "Unfortunately, I never had the chance to learn too much about him. Mother died before she was done telling the story."

"I'm very sorry to hear that, Princess." The Voltron Captain's dark gaze held understanding and sympathy. "I wish there could've been a happier ending."

Determined not to cry, Allura raised her chin and squared her shoulders. "Thank you, but there's no need to be sorry. I decided a long time ago that I will figure out for myself what happens to them." Despite her best effort to hold them back, the tears were threatening; she quickly averted her gaze and made an encompassing gesture towards the large bundle in his arms. "Could you bring it over and lay it out on the bed so it can be rolled up?" She suggested, proud that her voice only carried a slight wobble. "If it's rolled, it'll make it easier to carry."

"That's a great idea, Princess." Keith responded. "But let's do it together, okay?"

Allura was startled out of her weepiness. She'd often heard the Captain barking instructions, snapping commands and issuing coldly defiant threats, and at times, had heard him sounding sad, confident, flustered, and humorous. But this sweet and gentle tone was something new,something that made her heart pound and her tummy do flip flops. Though the feelings were pleasant and exciting...she wasn't sure if she liked that she was feeling them. She was the Princess of a world under siege, after all. No one knew better than she that this was no time to be acting like a flustered schoolgirl with a crush! Still, she couldn't prevent the heat of awareness from creeping into her cheeks as she helped bring the oversized hanging to the bed.

When laid out, the tapestry covered the bed's entire surface; the sides and bottom actually brushed the floor on all sides, and reached to the top of the tall, massive headboard. Keith stepped back to study the various panels. "Did you ever notice," he said, after a few moments of thoughtful silence, "that the Princess on this hanging looks a lot like you?"

It was surprisingly easy to smile despite her longing for things past. She and Coran had often found that their grief was eased by sharing pleasant childhood memories."Funny that you should say that, because I always liked pretending it _was _me! According to Mother's stories, this Princess was able to do the most amazing things; fighting evil monsters, defying mean old witches, spitting in the eyes of tyrants..." She sighed. "The Princess of the Tapestry did all of the things I wish I could do now... many times over." After the words were out, she blushed. Most likely, Keith would think her daft or frivolous for saying such things.

However, when she got up enough nerve to glance at him, his solemn expression reassured her that he did not think either of those things.

"Princess, " he said slowly, "don't ask me how I know this, but I have a strong feeling that the time is coming when you _will_ fight every one of those battles...and win!"

"Really?" Her smile went ear to ear. "Do you really think I can fight like her?"

"I _know_ you can." Keith corrected, with a look that conveyed that he was speaking the truth.

"Oh, thank you."

"Sure. Never doubt that you've got what it takes, Princess."

Though his voice carried the ring of authority, Keith's eyes were very soft and warm as they rested upon her. Unsure of how to respond or what to think, Allura murmured a second, very awkward word of thanks and shyly glanced away.

As luck would have it, her gaze fell upon a panel on the tapestry that depicted a close view of a very passionate embrace between the handsome knight and the Princess. Allura shrugged mentally; that her fictional look-a-like had fallen in madly in love with a hero shouldn't have been a surprise, as it was something that often happened to fairy tale princesses. Nevertheless, there was something unusually compelling about this particular panel-she couldn't tear her eyes away from the knight. There was something very familiar about him...

That was when an astounding realization hit her.

When the Queen had introduced the knight into her stories, he had been described as being young, fit and handsome; dark-haired, dark-eyed, and always clad in a red.tunic emblazoned with the crest of a black lion. In the kissing panel and the subsequent panels featuring the knight's chivalrous deeds, it was clear that verbal description, along with the courageous and noble man depicted on the tapestry, was a mirror image of Keith. Furthermore, though her mother hadn't had a chance to finish the tale, every one of those panels also made it quite clear that the Princess was almost as passionate about fighting alongside her champion as she was about being in his arms.

Was it coincidence that the characters woven into the story cloth bore such a strong resemblance to her and the Captain? Was it an omen or a prophecy? Had her mother foreseen the disasters to come and that a dark haired man from another world would become her daughter's champion?

If that was so, then Keith was right about her being destined to do battle at his side.

Destined to fight...and to love...

As the Princess of Arus turned her head towards the man standing beside her, her heart gave a tremendous leap. The space captain was looking intently at her, with an expression that told her that he had also noticed his uncanny resemblance to the knight. Unaccountably nervous, she could only gaze back at him, all too conscious that they were alone, in the most intimate of settings, with scenes of a legendary romance spread before them.

At that moment, a loving voice from the past echoed inside the Princess' thoughts; a mother's cryptic words spoken to an attentive but mystified child. _Life's an adventure, my dear daughter- it's your very ownstory! What you choose to make of it is totally up to you. Honesty and courage will help you to choose which roads to take and who your companions will be for the journey. Oh, and always remember, darling; you are only limited by what you think you cannot do._

Allura drew in a sharp breath. _Is Keith the one you were speaking of, Mother? Do you think he will want to stay with me? _

* * *

Silence had fallen over the room like a soft blanket draped over a fidgeting newborn. Keith's pulse jumped at the sight of the strange excitement sparkling in the Princess' beautiful blue eyes. With that one look, the width of the bed between them seemed to shrink, until he felt he could reach out and touch her without any effort at all. There was, of course, absolutely no doubt in his mind that was what he wanted to do, but what about _her_ feelings? Princess of a planet or not, Allura was in a very vulnerable state,emotionally as well as physically. Not only that, she was so damned innocent that she'd never even realize that the urge to physically connect with someone was part of the will to survive.

The Captain's eyes narrowed. Did it matter to him if that was all it was? There were far worse things he could think of than being a temporary salve for a beautiful woman with a bruised and battered morale. Who cared if they were from different worlds as long as it was a mutually satisfying affair?

But Allura wasn't l that kind of woman, he argued with himself. Yes, she was strong, yes, she was a survivor... but she was also a woman who wouldn't have that kind of relationship with a man unless she had fallen deeply in love with him, he was sure of it. He was also sure that, despite what her guardian said, this Princess wouldn't give a damn if the man were rich and titled…or could hand the means for political clout. Allura would just want to love him...and be loved in return.

God, how he wanted that. Wanted it…and her.

She was staring at him, and he returned the stare, wondering if she could sense what he was thinking. Pinklips parted, whether to speak or in invitation, he couldn't tell. The silence stretched, drawing tauter and tauter.He would have to kiss her or go completely insane...

Then, out of the blue, the spell was broken as the thick castle walls shook with the sounds of distant blasts. Running footsteps could be heard in the outside corridor. In an instant, soldier mode clicked into place, and Keith scrambled across the bed, yanking Allura along with him with one hand, the other clenching his un-holstered blaster. They crouched, peering over the edge of the bed. When the footsteps drew nearer to the room, they dropped down on the floor next to each other and held their collective breath.

Their mutual relief was palpable they heard the familiar voice call out.

"Captain, Princess-Yurak's here! We've got to go, this sector cannot withstand another assault-"

Sven burst into the room, his limp but a distant memory, then stopped short upon seeing an empty room.

"Captain? Princess Allura?" He called out softly.

"We're here." A disembodied feminine voice informed him.

Sven gave a start at the sight of his leader and the Princess slowly rose from behind the tall bed, then hid a smile at their dishelved appearances, taking full note of Allura's loose hair and their brightly flushed faces. But, as sorely tempting as it was to rib the obviously flustered Keith, now was not really the time forlighthearted banter...which was why tne Norseman settled for only a _tiny_ joke.

"Hallo! What were you two doing down there? Looking for Zarkon, perhaps?"

The Princess giggled and blushed. Keith glared and opened his mouth, and then closed it in frustration as his communicator promptly went off. The Captain tapped the receive switch with more force than necessary, and the irrepressible Norwegian grinned happily at him, knowing that Lady Providence had just delivered him from a very stern lecture.

It was Pidge, who didn't wait for an acknowledgement. "We've got trouble on the horizon, Skipper! Better get here, pronto!"

"Understood, Green Lion- Keith out."

The Princess' face contorted with sudden anguish. "No! Not here, not now...I need more time!" Keith flinched at the pain-laced words and her tortured expression. He quickly looked around at the painstakingly restored room, his heart aching for the beautiful soul who had put loving hours into this shrine. _She deserves to get something for her efforts and she needs to have a part of her past as a foundation to build on. _

His decision was made. Keith whirled around, strode to the bookcase and started grabbing the carvings and statuettes, tossing them on the tapestry.

Allura and Sven quickly followed his lead. In a flash, the contents of the shelves and the Queen's dressing table were bundled up in the hanging, which the Lieutenant slung over his shoulder like a knapsack.

"Santa's got the goodies!" He proclaimed. "Let's get to the chimney!"

Keith nodded, and then shouldered open the door to the secret passage. Grabbing Allura's hand, he hustled her through the opening, with Sven close at their heels. The portal shut behind them with a thud that echoed down into oblivion. They leaned against the landing's inner wall for a few seconds, catching their breath and letting their eyes adjust to the gloom surrounding them. The smell of mildew and moss permeated the air, and the distant scampering of frightened rodents headed for cover could be heard in the distance. One good thing to be said for the dearth of light, it meant the passage walls had held fast, which would afford them extra protection against any laser blasts that may be headed their way.

Sven gave a small grin as the scene before him emerged from the cloak of darkness. Now that his eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting, he could plainly see that his leader still held the dainty hand of the Princess tightly in his grasp and showed no signs of wanting to let it go. Allura's lovely face was turned towards Keith, and her expression was most enlightening.

_All right then, I will have dibs on the next Princess that comes along, my friend. _The Blue Lion pilot chuckled silently, and then looked away from the pair. _Som om det var! Like there really would be a chance of finding someone yust like Allura who would fall in love vit a plain old Alliance navigator. Like they say, lightning never strikes twice in the same spot._

Sven's musings were interrupted by the muffled roar of another explosion.

"Lead the way, Princess- you know this place better than we do," Keith instructed, releasing her hand with obvious reluctance.

"Watch your step on the stairs, they are quite steep and narrow," She advised tautly. "Stay next to the inner wall and you should be fine."

They started their long, dark descent. Allura going first, with Sven following and Keith bringing up the rear with his blaster drawn, keeping a watchful eye behind them as the noise and intensity of the blasts continued to increase.

"Skull ships." He muttered.

"Ja, and they'll be here in no time, we'd better move!" Sven panted.

The Princess' anxious voice drifted back to them. "Please Lieutenant, I don't want you to injure yourself more than you already are! Leave my things -you two need to get to your Lions."

"When we reach the cellar, I will leave your things.They will be safe there." Sven insisted.

"But..."

"Princess, Sven knows how much he can do. Keep going!" Keith ordered.

She complied with his wishes without another word.

The Captain was pleased. _Good girl, she's not arguing about it. A princess who can follow chain of command is definitely an asset._ He thought.

Down and down they went, the air around them growing colder and heavier, until they reached the Princess' subterranean bomb shelter. Sven set down his parcel gingerly, hoping that at least some of the fragile figurines had escaped damage.

"How do we get to Ops from here?" Keith asked urgently.

"Down that hall and up the stairs to the right; there's an elevator that goes directly to the control room."

The two pilots sprinted down the indicated route, Allura close on their heels.

The elevator door slid open, and in less than a minute, they were entering the dazzling, high tech command center secreted in the hub of the stone Castle.

They blinked rapidly as once again their pupils started to adjust to a drastic change in lighting. They could hear the rapidly approaching footsteps before making out the tightly controlled features of Coran. Sven and Keith exchanged wary glances.

"Princess, where have you been? We're under attack! I was so worried that something had happened to you-"

Allura stepped out to intercept her frantically gesturing advisor. "I'll explain later. You must deploy the launch chutes right away, the lions are needed!"

Pidge, Hunk and Lance ran up in time to hear the exchange; they glanced questioningly at their Commander and Sven, who in turn fixed their eyes on Coran. The older man nodded decisively, and Keith expelled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. The Royal advisor wasn't going to make a fuss about them taking the lions this time, which was a considerable improvement from just a week ago.

Time after time, the Princess had had to overrule Coran to give the team permission to take out the lion ships. Her distraught advisor had objected forcefully to the idea of the Alliance pilots risking their lives for a 'lost cause', arguing that just the five of them couldn't possibly beat the all-powerful Yurak, even if Voltron could be formed. At the time, it had infuriated the proud Captain that a mere civilian was questioning his men's piloting and combat skills, but now that Keith had gotten to know the older man a little, he sensed there was a profound basis for the man's protestations. However, this wasn't the time to figure that out, or deal with his own emotions about the Princess later. Right now, they had a world to save.

"Let's get to the Lions, team!" He urged. The chutes were deployed and his men were gone in a heartbeat.

"Wait!" The Princess voice rang out, stopping Keith in mid stride on his way to Chute Number One.

"Yes?" He rasped, his impatience barely concealed.

"I just wanted to tell you to please come back safely, Keith," she said softly, with a tiny smile.

He grinned and saluted her. "Count on it, Princess." He turned to cover the last few feet to the chute, and then, after one last look at her over his shoulder, launched himself into the tube and descended from view.

"So brave..." Allura murmured, staring after him.

Coran lowered the elevator tubes and joined her, saying sternly, "So, Your Majesty, where _have_ you been for the last two hours?"

"Cleaning house," she replied vaguely. "I think you'd better get over to communications now; I'll work Ops this time." She strode decisively over to the blinking panels that formed the heart of Castle Control.

Her guardian's eyebrows shot up. Allura finally showing an interest in Ops? This was an interesting and most welcome development. He had been trying for weeks to train her to work the radar and various surveillance programs, but to no avail.

Coran's brow furrowed in thought. He couldn't be sure, of course, but he had a feeling from the way the Princess had been eyeing Keith just now, that a romantic interest in the handsome Voltron Captain may have prompted this sudden interest in battle tactics and operations. If they got out of this battle unscathed, he would definitely be sending a call out to the caves in search of Hannah. The Princess now had need of a chaperone, and _he_ desperately needed a break in having to keep track of the elusive Allura.

To be continued!


	5. Destiny Calls

**A Ray of Hope**: **A Bonds of Love Prequel**

**By KittyLynne**

_Disclaimer: Voltron does not belong to me in any way, shape or form, unless you count the 2 ft. tall toy Voltron sitting on my bookshelf. )_

_Author's note: This one is for Hannah…_

**Chapter 5 - Destiny Calls**

They were losing- badly.

It shouldn't have been possible, but it was happening; Voltron was in danger of being defeated for good. The Doom fighters and Skull ship cruisers blasted the sagging Castle again and again as the giant Defender lay helplessly pinned under the weight of another of Witch Hagar's horrendous, lazon fueled creations.

Bricks, stones and mortar fell dangerously close to the Princess and Coran, as they ran to the elevator that would carry them to the very bowels of the castle and the tomb of the King of Arus.

Soon the two were kneeling in front of the stone sarcophagus, praying for a miracle. Their fervent prayers were rewarded by the sudden appearance of Alfor, who told them what to do. Allura hastened to carry out his instructions, finding and pressing the secret switch that had materialized on the coffin of her beloved Father.

Above ground, the rock walls of the ancient Castle of Lions rumbled and then gave way, not to enemy laser fire, but to the solid steel structure that rose majestically from the earth below. Higher and higher it climbed; to the watching Doomian soldiers and Lion pilots, it seemed as though it would ascend to the blackness of space.

Soon the rumbling stopped and a glorious stronghold stood on the great hill, its massive spires gleaming in the sun.

For a moment, the raging battle ceased.

Voltron the Defender gaped at the giant structure, his expression mirroring those of the pilots inside him.

The Doom armada appeared to hang in mid air, even the snarling Robeast quieted and took a break to stare malevolently at the new threat

A flash of pink appeared at the parapet, and the woman wearing it suddenly broke the stillness by impudently firing a laser cannon at the ship of Yurack the Great. A huge gaping hole was the result of the hidden soldier's efforts, but apparently was not good enough for them, for blast after blast continued to bombard the listing Doom ship, sheering off vital navigational ports and engines.

Inside the head of Voltron, a smiling Captain Keith addressed his team.

"Hey, hey, it looks like we have a brand new member, guys. Should we be proper gentlemen and help the Princess out?"

"Looks like she's doing yust fine on her own to me," Sven observed, watching in admiration as the feisty Princess turned her attention to the marauding Robeast. He grinned as she furiously blasted away, making the monster hop around like a frightened rabbit. "But we can't let her have all the fun then, can we?"

Abruptly the laser blasts stopped and the proud Princess looked directly into the visage of Voltron.

"Go get 'em, team!" she cried, her eyes blazing.

* * *

Keith stared at Allura on his monitor, completely transfixed as he watched the movement of her full lips forming the passionate battle cry, then felt the adrenaline rush through his body as his dazed brain comprehended their meaning.

"Let's finish it guys- this one's for the Princess!" He yelled, as he moved Voltron into position for a final blow.

"For the Princess!" His teammates bellowed in response.

The blazing sword lifted, absorbing the power of the sun.

The RoBeast stood helplessly as Voltron descended, and the mighty blade swept down upon it, swiftly ending the historic battle.

"That's it, they've done it!" Coran cried out joyously, as he stared at the gigantic view screen in Castle Control. The fiery aftermath of a lazon generated explosion filled the picture. "Princess, do you read? The RoBeast has been destroyed!"

I know, and it's a lovely sight." Allura breathed into her communicator, her eyes shining with happy tears.

"My dear Princess, are you all right?" The diplomat's tone was laced with worry and affection. "I cannot believe you took such a chance! What if-"

"I'm fine, Coran!" Allura firmly cut off her guardian's lecture, though her tone remained gentle. "I did what I had to do; and you know Mother would have done the same, had she been given the opportunity."

"Yes Princess, she would have." Coran agreed, in a voice hoarse with emotion. "However, at the time she had an heir to follow in her footsteps who could carry on the Biron lineage, and you do not. You must consider that, and also remember that your suffering people desperately need your guidance before putting yourself in such jeopardy again."

Yes, I will keep that in mind next time," Allura promised meekly. However, inevitable, rebellious thoughts were already swirling within the Princess' mind, in direct contrast to her submissive words to her Advisor

_I'll think about it, Coran, but how could it help any of my subjects if I am safely shut up in the new Castle while Arus is turned upside down by Zarkon? What would they think of a Princess whose only apparent concern is to continue her lineage?_

She stared down at the weapon she had wielded to defend her world.

It had felt good to fight back.

It had felt right.

The Princess of Arus squared her shoulders, filled with renewed purpose

_Coran, you are wrong. I am meant to be here. I will defend my people._

In Castle Control, Coran shook his head sadly, very certain that his words of caution would not be heeded. A strong surge of protectiveness, mixed with something approaching despair, welled within his breast at the thought that Allura might be harmed in any way, and that he was most likely incapable of stopping it.

She was exactly like Alana; the blood of warriors coursed within the Princess, calling her to her destiny. It was as inevitable as the sun that rose and set over their embattled planet. The time was coming, he knew, when the Princess would find out all about her unique heritage; the time was approaching when she would be capable of learning and benefiting from her parents legacy, unimpeded by a child's naive perceptions or beliefs.

The Arusian diplomat felt an intensely personal pride fill him as he thought of the courage and fortitude she had displayed today and since the untimely death of her parents. The child, no- young woman, he corrected himself, was indeed a special and remarkable person, and he had admitted to himself more than once that he'd mourn Allura as wholeheartedly as a father would his child, in the event of an untimely demise.

However, duty also played a part in this, he had also made a promise to King Alfor that he'd guard Allura to his dying day. How was he going to do that now? He was no soldier, he was a purveyor of knowledge and diplomacy. All he could do was prepare her for the intricacies of Royal life; there was no way he could train the Princess in combat skills or teach her to fly, nor did he want to encourage her to do so. The only ones that could do it would be the young men of the Voltron Force. He'd have to talk to Keith and make sure the Princess would never receive the training he was quite sure she would request from the Captain.

Allura as a fighter pilot? Oh God, just the thought of it was bringing on a violent headache.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

_Hannah will help. Together we can curtail this folly, make her see that the Space Explorers can handle this task, and that her place is in the castle_.

He hoped that his messenger had gotten through the battle. He knew she'd come as soon as she got it; Hannah was dependable and fiercely loyal to the Royal family, so it was just a question of time as to when she would show up. The thought was vaguely comforting, and the older man felt his tension easing a little. Sighing deeply, he leaned back in his chair and started the procedure for raising the elevator shafts, as the pilots would bound to be returning soon.

* * *

The acrid smoke had finally cleared. Allura's hands unclenched and then slowly released the controls of the laser cannon she had been firing for the last hour; they then lifted to smooth back her tumbled hair and straighten the circlet that had slid to one side during her exertions. She grimaced at the protestations of her muscles as she did so, her arms and shoulders were stiff and the Princess ruefully acknowledged to herself that she'd be very sore for the next day or two.

Not that she'd ever admit it to anyone. All the men around her treated her like a hothouse flower as it was, and any complaining would make it worse.

Allura looked down at the courtyards her azure gaze picked out the shredded remains of the first Star Cruiser she had shot down. Her face brightened. Perhaps she had corrected their misperceptions about her durability in the last hour; she could only hope that was the case. Nevertheless, she definitely needed to get in better shape if she was going to be physically defending her planet. Maybe the boys could give her some ideas on how to do that- all without Coran's prior knowledge, of course.

She stepped out from behind the blast shield of the weapon to gaze upon the emerging, magnificent outline of her planet's robotic champion, standing triumphantly over the charred remnants of a Doomian RoBeast. She scanned the skies; the last Skull ship was but a distant speck slipping over the horizon. Victory was theirs once again.

Maybe now her people would regain their faith, emerge from hiding, and eventually come together with the Voltron Force to fight against the tyranny and oppression that had plagued them for these last few years, Allura thought hopefully. She turned to survey the mighty steel spires now soaring above her head. The Castle should offer a ray of hope as it now appeared, brilliant and unyielding, glinting proudly in the sun above the desecrated landscape.

The Princess bowed her head and prayed. _Father, your genius and foresight have saved us all._ A warm liquidity enfolded her briefly, before dissipating._Thank you __for always being_ _with me...and with Arus._

Allura was smiling as she opened her eyes to view the scene of the latest triumph over Zarkon.

"Voltron, you did it! Thank you!" She murmured, as the Defender turned to face her, his sword lifted high in triumph as the rays of a late afternoon sun glinted off the honed blade. She sank in a low curtsy, paying homage to the bravery of the five pilots; the hearts and souls of the lion ships that had united to form the mechanical warrior.

"Wow, the Princess is kneeling to us," Pidge exclaimed. "That's so cool!"

"Yeah, considering she took a bigger risk than any of us," Hunk rumbled from Yellow Lion. "We should be thanking her!"

"She certainly got us out of a tight spot," Sven agreed.

In the cockpit of Black Lion, Keith smiled. Allura had gotten her wish for adventure, complete with one horrendous monster. His smile broadened as he thought of how she had ferociously defended Voltron, after somehow summoning the miracle that now loomed before them. She was amazing.

"She did a great job," he said softly, his eyes fixed on the pink clad figure showing on his monitor.

"Yeah, she's really not half bad at shooting, did you see how she made that RoBeast dance? Did you see how teed off she looked?" Lance chortled. "She reminded me of those ancient Terran movies with the squinty eyed guy...damn, who was he again?"

"Clint Eastwood?" Sven asked, grinning at the Red Lion pilot via his view screen.

Lance grinned back. "Yeah, that's him! Good ole Dirty Harry himself!" He affected the timeless, squinty-eyed glare of the famous Terran actor and the soft, raspy voice. " 'Go ahead, Yurack...make my day...' " The other men laughed at the comparison, but had to agree it was apt.

"Ah...Clint. He's definitely one of a kind! And so is the Princess..." Lance sighed softly, eyeing the woman now rising to her feet on the parapet of a shiny new Castle of Lions. "What a total babe..." he added, half to himself.

"You can say that again!" Hunk grinned. "She's worth more than her weight in cheesecake- if we had any!"

Uproarious laughter greeted this remark.

"Well, I don't think she's like Dirty Harry, cheesecake or a babe!" Pidge asserted staunchly. "She's beautiful in every way and nothing can come close to comparing to her."

Silence fell after this remark, as the rest of the team silently agreed with the youth's heartfelt declaration.

Keith spoke suddenly. "Well, guys, it looks like the Princess is part of the team now. Should we give her the traditional welcome?"

He grinned as a resounding chorus of affirmatives followed his question.

"Do ya really think you needed to ask?" Lance added, arching an eyebrow and smirked at his Captain, who smiled and shrugged.

"Yeah, well…just go easy on her, she's bound to be hurting a little." Keith advised him. "She's not used to operating such heavy weaponry."

"Oh, I'll be gentle," Lance replied, his ice blue eyes glinting with anticipation. "I always am with first timers."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Keith replied, sending a narrow eyed glance at the smirking Red Lion pilot. "Just make sure you keep your hands where I can see them." He paused. "That's a direct order, Hartwell, is that clear?"

"Absolutely." Lance said curtly, all traces of his previous good humor extinguished. "Your message is coming through loud and clear, Captain."

" Coran isn't going to approve of it, ya know! " Sven broke in hastily, sensing the rising animosity between his two friends. "It's a pretty undignified method of thanking a royal personage."

"Ah…who cares about that? I say, nuts to the ole Fussbudget!" Hunk boomed cheerfully. "Let's go give Princess her props!"

"Right!" His teammates shouted.

Allura waved from the parapet as Voltron took off, and then turned to make her way inside her new home. A frown replaced her lingering smile as it occurred to her that she had no idea how the inner parts of the new castle were designed, and that she might be late in greeting her heroes if she lost her way. The moment she stepped inside, however, the Princess relaxed and her fears abated as she took note of the very familiar looking corridor of her refurbished home, and the brand new, state-of-the-art communications panel mounted on the wall.

Sending sent another silent thank you to her father for his consideration, Allura contacted her Royal Advisor via telecom, and then unerringly made her way down to Castle Control.

To be continued!


	6. Much Fuss About Something

**A Ray of Hope**

(_A Bonds of Love Prequel_)

**By KittyLynne **

_(The usual disclaimers apply here.)_

**Chapter Six-Much Fuss About Something**

Hunk was the first to emerge from his elevator.

With a whoop and a holler, he rounded the cylinder, avidly scanning the room for the Princess. She deserved hearty praise for a job well done, and he would be the first to give her some. All right!

He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the distinguished figure in the greatcoat that stood in his path.

Uh-oh, this wasn't good. The old man was ticked off about something; the crossed arms and icy glare were a dead giveaway, as was the fact that Coran hadn't waited to lower the tubes after their arrival, but instead had climbed down to greet them. That was highly unusual for him to do; after all, the man still had a bum leg. Whatever was eating at him right now must be serious.

For a moment the Yellow Lion pilot almost recoiled under the forbidding look, but in next to no time he regained his composure and glared right back, his shoulders unconsciously straightening to draw himself up to his full height of six feet, six inches.

_Now what? Is this guy never happy? We just defeated Yurak, the Castle is brand spankin' new, and he still looks like he needs a laxative! _

Coran's glower intensified as if he had heard the young man's irreverent thoughts. Hunk stared back defiantly, his temper starting to rise. A muscle jumped in his cheek, as he set his jaw. His hands opened and closed, as if they were barely refraining from forming into fists.

Behind the two men the rest of the Voltron Force emerged from their tubes, laughing and joking until they drew nearer to the wordless conflict. Eyes went wide at the sight of their teammate and the Royal Advisor apparently locked in a stare-down.

At that same instant, Princess Allura appeared at the main door, her cheeks flushed from her quick trip down from the parapet. Her eyes were wide with excitement, until they registered the tension between Hunk and Coran. She halted just inside the open doorway, her expression changing to one of bewilderment.

Across the room, her gaze met that of the Captain's. Her eyebrows lifted inquiringly; he shrugged, but promptly decided to get to the heart of the matter as he saw the growing distress in Allura's expression.

"What seems to be the trouble here?" He asked neutrally, stepping between the two men.

"That's what I'd like to know," Hunk growled. "All I did was get off the elevator, and Coran here was looking at me like I was yesterday's leftovers!"

"Coran? Did Hunk offend you in some way?" Keith turned to the older man. The stern countenance reminded Keith of the drill sergeants he had had in Academy boot camp. He repressed a shudder at the thought.

"Not exactly." Was the clipped reply.

"Coran, what is the matter? Why are you treating Hunk in this way?" The Princess' soft voice broke into the tension. "Is there something he can do to make it better?"

Coran's arms uncrossed, and one hand raised to idly stroke his full mustache, as he continued to eye Hunk. "Yes Princess, there is." He replied somberly.

The diplomat's fierce gaze traveled over the entire Voltron Force, pinning each man in his place. He cleared his throat and spoke in ringing tones.

"Gentleman, and Hunk..." the Yellow Lion pilot promptly bristled at the implied insult, but was restrained by the cautionary hand of Sven. "The _fussbudget_ would like to know what 'props' are and what you are planning to do to the Princess."

Hunk let out an audible groan and dropped his bravado. _Damn_ those transmitters!

"Oh jeez! Coran- I'm sorry...I swear I meant it in the best possible way..."

A soft snicker could be heard and the big man twisted around to glare at the pilot of Red Lion. Lance smirked and gave him an infuriating wink.

"The _fussbudget_ would also like to know why any sort of a gentleman would stoop to comparing our lovely Princess to a man called, ah..._'Dirty Harry'_." The Royal advisor continued softly, fixing a steely gaze upon Lance.

The smirk disappeared, replaced by an expression of acute dismay.

Hunk gave a small smile of satisfaction.

"Well?" A well- groomed auburn eyebrow arched over one frosty-looking eye.

"Uh...I m-meant that in the best possible w-way..." Lance stammered. Hunk rolled his eyes heavenward.

"And I can assume that explanation also covers referring to her as a 'babe'?" The older man continued ruthlessly.

The Princess gasped, then blushed furiously, lowering her eyes to the floor. That word sounded rather indecent though she didn't know why; didn't it mean a young infant? An innocent? Was Lance calling her a baby? Her brow puckered in bewilderment as she stared at her boot- clad feet..

Keith shot a look at the red-faced lieutenant. _This will teach Lance to watch his mouth! _He thought in grim amusement, watching his friend fidget uncomfortably under the weight of Coran's scrutiny.

"Well, uh...you see…um…" The Red Lion pilot fell silent, not wishing to dig himself a deeper hole, yet desperately hoping for the floor to open and swallow him up. He thought hard for a moment, and then scrambled to save face. "Sir, on Earth the term is actually considered quite a compliment to a female. A man only uses this term when expressing his highest regards for a lady's attributes. I truly meant it as a accolade to Her Highness and I am sorry if you felt I was being crass."

Allura smiled forgivingly at the embarrassed young man. _Maybe Lance could teach me some more Terran terms, they certainly are quite stirring and colorful. _She thought, and her smile widened.

Lance gave her a shy grin, as his color deepened under her friendly gaze. Keith's brows lowered slightly as he looked from the Princess to his friend.

"He definitely has the gift of blarney, doesn't he?" Sven murmured to the annoyed Captain. "Uff da."

"Too bad the Princess doesn't know what blarney is," Keith shot back, his expression darkening rapidly.

"Maybe Lance could spend some time with her to explain it, he told me that she's asked him many times about Terran culture," Sven supplied helpfully, smothering a laugh as his friend turned to glower at the pilot of Red Lion.

"He'll be too busy to give lessons," Keith replied curtly, and Sven grinned.

Someone was in for extra reps in combat exercises, the Blue Lion pilot thought gleefully. That would teach Lance not to mess with his uniform's codpiece. Sven shifted uncomfortably as he felt the drastically shortened band cut into his unmentionables. He could hardly wait to free himself from the continuous wedgies that had been inflicted on him since he had donned the battle gear.

"_Dumskalle_," he muttered, returning his attention to the scene before him.

"And finally..." Coran drew a deep breath, as the disconcerted Space Explorers held theirs, " the _fussbudget _would like to know what 'cheesecake' is and why it is so valuable." The sculpted lips below the luxuriant mustache quirked suddenly, as if their owner was repressing a smile.

The held breaths were expelled noisily as the Advisor's final inquiry was aired.

Keith's lips twitched as well as he met Sven's wry look. _Seems the sober Advisor has a sense of humor after all. _Hethought, greatly relieved

"Cheesecake..._now_ you are speaking mylanguage!" Hunk exclaimed. "Let me tell you, it's the best thing that ever happened to Terran cuisine."

"Is that so? Well, when the woman I sent for returns to the castle, perhaps she can learn to make it." Coran suggested, his stance softening a bit.

"What woman?" Hunk asked, curiosity overcoming his appetite.

Pidge spoke up. "Time for that later, big guy. I think we should welcome the Princess to the team now, don't you?" He winked at Allura who smiled uncertainly. What was the boy talking about? What welcome? Her eyes turned to the Captain for an explanation.

Keith nodded briskly. He was suddenly eager to get this whole episode over with and get the Princess to himself...to discuss combat strategy, of course. "Coran, with all due respect to you and your Arusian traditions, we would like to salute Her Highness with a Garrison tradition that goes back to the founders of the Space Academy."

"Does it involve 'props'?" The guardian asked, suspiciously.

Keith tried not to smile. "No...the word 'props' is Terran slang for giving credit to someone who has done something impressive."

"I see. Hm, well, I don't see any harm in it, as long as it isn't discourteous to Her Majesty's person."

"No one has complained before-heck, even Space Marshall Graham has participated in this particular tradition!" Lance spoke up, a roguish glint in his eye.

"By all means then," Coran acquiesced, politely stepping aside.

"Three cheers for the Princess, and welcome to the team!" Pidge cried out happily.

"Three cheers for the Princess!" His teammates shouted.

Allura's eyes slowly widened as the five pilots headed for her en masse.

Coran's mouth dropped open and then snapped shut as he watched the Voltron Force surround her, then carefully reach out to hoist the Princess into the air. She squeaked in surprise and blinked owlishly at the grinning masculine features below her. Her guardian threw his hands up in exasperation. It was too late, he had given his approval; he could only thank the lions that the Royal court wasn't here to witness this.

"Princess, this is really most unseemly, Garrison tradition or not!" He objected weakly.

Before Allura could respond, the world had tilted and she was dropping down, then flying up into the air accompanied by a loud cheer, then down into the safety of five pairs of brawny arms, up again, and down, up and then down once more before being boosted back to her feet. She wobbled, and a pair of hands at her waist steadied her.

"Easy, Princess. Hope we weren't too rough on you," Keith's voice came from directly behind her.

"Not at all, Captain. It was an amazing experience." She replied breathlessly.

She turned to face him and he immediately let go of her waist and stepped back.

She knew she was flushed, but she couldn't be sure if it was because of the salute or the fact that _he_ had touched her. She straightened her circlet, and her posture, gradually regaining her composure under the appreciative gazes of five impressive male specimens.

She looked from man to man, giving each a shy grin. "I like Terran traditions, they're fun!"

Pidge blushed under her approving eyes. "We have many others that are just as fun! Maybe-"

A nosily cleared throat cut him off, as the Royal Guardian stepped forward, and gave the youth a severe look.

"-and maybe I'll tell you about them later, Princess." Pidge finished hastily.

"I'd enjoy that very much. My deepest thanks to all of you, for what you have done for Arus, and for giving me such a wonderful salute." The Princess said gently, and then paused as she searched for a way to express her admiration for her heroes, a certain turn of phrase that would convey exactly how she felt about them. Her face lit up as the proper words popped into her mind. "If I may be permitted the expression, I wish to say that I think that all of you are 'babes' too." She turned to an astounded-looking Lance. "That is, if 'babe' is a term that can be used for both genders."

The pilot of Red lion opened his mouth, but for once, nothing emerged.

Coran ran a hand down his face and shook his head in disbelief. _Hannah, please hurry back!_ He silently pleaded.

"Of course it can," Sven responded smoothly, his eyes dancing with suppressed mirth. "I can't tell you how honored ve are to haf you tell us in person, Princess."

"But Sven, maybe she should-" Pidge began, before a beefy hand clapped over his mouth.

"Shut up! She's trying to pay us a compliment, so don't embarrass her!" Hunk hissed in the youth's ear.

"Is something wrong, boys?" Allura asked, her brow starting to furrow. Hunk released his young friend and straightened up, while Pidge adjusted his glasses.

"No ma'am," they chorused. "Everything's fine."

"I've gone and said something inappropriate, haven't I?" The Princess asked, her suspicions heightened by the flush on the Captain's face and the compressed lips and shaking shoulders of Sven. Both men avoided her eyes.

Well, what should I call you boys then? I only meant to express my high admiration for you." She looked so crestfallen that the snickering pilots all sobered at once.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group, but only for a moment.

"Princess, you can call me anything you like, just so you call me." Lance declared grandly, stepping in front of his teammates, and accidentally bumping shoulders with Sven. "Oops! So sorry Lieutenant, didn't mean to _wedge _myself between you and the Princess."

He felt the Norwegian's glare burning a hole through his back as he held out an arm to the Princess. "Shall we see about finding something to eat Your Majesty? I'm starved."

Allura took the proffered arm with obvious pleasure. "Yes, I could use some food. Maybe you could tell me about this 'Dirty Harry' you mentioned as we walk."

"It'd be my pleasure, Princess." Lance responded suavely.

"Are you yust going to let them walk away like that?" Sven muttered to the quietly fuming Keith. "Do something, he's making a move!"

"I really have no basis for compl- wait a second!" Keith raised his voice so it carried to the departing couple. " Princess! What about the heirlooms that we left down in the catacombs?"

Allura came to an abrupt halt, forcing Lance to stop and curse his leader silently.

"How could I have forgotten? I have to get them right away!" She exclaimed, abruptly dropping her escort's arm and walking back to them.

"Not by yourself, Princess." Keith replied, shooting a smug glance at the frustrated Red Lion pilot. "Why don't we _all_ go with you?"

Allura smiled. "I'd really like that, Keith. Thank you."

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Keith," Lance muttered. "You're a prince of a guy."

"Heirlooms?" Coran repeated, coming up behind them. "What heirlooms?"

Sven explained what had transpired, and the older man nodded, while casting a stern look at the Princess. "I see. Thank you both for helping Allura and for keeping her safe."

"It vas a privilege to do so, " Sven replied, bowing to the Royal Advisor.

"I owe a huge personal debt to both of you, "Allura stated. "I wish I had something to give to you for your trouble."

Sven glanced at Keith, and was amused to see what looked like panic brewing in his friend's eyes.

"We don't want a reward for that, Princess," the Norseman replied gallantly. "Having the pleasure of your company is the best reward for us...isn't that right, Keith?" He winked at his friend, who nodded enthusiastically.

Allura's cheeks turned rosy pink, and she smiled at both pilots. "Thank you."

"Nice goin', Sven!" Hunk slapped his teammate on the back. "I concur!"

"Me too," Pidge added dreamily.

The Princess said nothing, but her expression spoke for her. She was virtually glowing with pleasure. Coran sighed heavily. Five eligible, worldly men and one beautiful, innocent woman; this scenario had to be a father's worst nightmare.

"Oh all right," Lance rolled his eyes at his teammates' obvious fawning over the Princess. "Let's just get the party moving already!"

As bad luck would have it, Sven boldly commandeered Allura's arm, and the disgruntled Lance found himself the last of the group to leave Castle Control. However, there _was _some consolation to be found in the Norwegian's extremely rigid gait. Lance chuckled to himself. _He's gonna be stuck with a perpetual wedgie for at least another couple of hours. Too bad for him_.

Softly whistling the beginning bars of his favorite movie theme song, 'Every Which Way But Loose', the Red Lion pilot followed his friends into the first of many spacious, immaculate corridors in the reborn Castle of Lions.

**To be continued…**


	7. The Prime Objective

**A Ray of Hope**

_**(A Bonds of Love Prequel)** _

**By: KittyLynne **

_(The usual I don't own Voltron relative disclaimers...)_

**Chapter Seven: A Prime Objective **

Two weeks later…

It was early evening, and the men of the Voltron Force were finally starting to unwind after another action packed day. It wasn't by choice that they did this. At Princess Allura's command, the Royal Advisor had reluctantly spelled them on second shift surveillance, so that she could meet with her defenders privately. In return for the rare privilege, a harried- looking Coran had asked each man for their word of honor that they would behave in a proper manner around his young charge. There was to be, as the diplomat had so succinctly put it, 'absolutely no tossing around of double entendres, 'inappropriate' Terran terminology, or the Princess herself. Do I make myself clear, gentlemen? '

The five friends now sat patiently, and drank the delicious Arusian coffee Allura had sent for them, while they waited for their very special visitor in an atmosphere of geniality. Each of the battle weary pilots was looking forward to being in her lovely presence, and was pleased that she had chosen to come to them; a gesture that was certainly typical of the down-to-earth monarch. The meeting also gave them a chance to thank her personally for their present quarters. At Allura's insistence, they had been allowed to pick any furnished space they liked, to be a pilot's lounge. The spacious room the team had finally agreed upon had enough high tech equipment in it to qualify as a surveillance center, yet the furnishings and decor gave it the informality and comfort of a recreation room. The L-shaped sectional was functional yet comfortable enough to really stretch out on, and the massive table set in front looked like it was made specifically for legs and booted feet to rest on top of, although none of them felt quite _that _at ease.

"So what's up, Skipper? Ya have any idea why the Princess wants to see us?" Hunk cheerfully asked of his commanding officer. His leader simply smiled and shrugged, while taking a sip of coffee out of a thick handled white mug.

"Actually, Princess only wanted to see _me_, but she had to make it look good." Lance smirked, stretching his arms out, and then putting his arms behind his head. "After spending an fascinating hour in my company discussing Terran customs and culture, I think she's just about ready to fall into my arms."

Sven looked up from the manual he was reading to glance at Keith. The Captain was clutching his mug of coffee and staring into its dark depths as if it held the secrets to the universe. Shaking his head, the pilot of Blue Lion returned to his studies, wondering how long it would take Lance's cockiness to trigger his besotted friend's temper. He preferred to stay completely out of such a conflict, partly in deference to his leader, but mostly because Alfor's notations on Voltron's navigational system were just too fascinating to put down.

Besides, he'd make sure Lance would be getting a dose of his own medicine sooner or later.

The Norwegian lifted the manual to hide the evil smile that appeared at the thought of the nice warm bowl of water that he would be immersing the slumbering Red Lion pilot's hand in later this night. After drinking almost a pot of coffee up to this point in the evening, Lance had better pray there were spare bed linens and a washer and dryer somewhere in the Castle.

With a soft grunt of amusement, Sven returned to his reading. Lance, ever on the lookout for treachery since what he had privately termed the 'Wedgie Incident', sent the Norwegian a suspicious look but said nothing, preferring to stick to his present topic.

"I'm betting that I'll be giving the Princess her first kiss." He boasted.

Keith shifted restlessly on the sofa. Sven looked at him over the top of the manual once again, and then hastily brought it back up as the Black Lion pilot turned a smoldering gaze to him. This wasn't good. The Captain was looking mighty peeved.

"As if Coran would ever let you get that close to her!" Pidge scoffed casually, although inwardly, he was devastated. How could he ever compete with Lance for the Princess' attention, when he definitely fell short in both height and years.? _It's true that I'm intelligent and fun to be with, but that doesn't help with me with my present romantic prospect. _. His genius brain worked feverishly. Maybe if he looked after the Space Mice- who happened to be the Princess'closest friends- maybe _that _would give him an edge in her affections! He slouched into the sectional, excitedly forming a plan of action while closing his ears to any further discussion of Lance's make-believe exploits.

"I hafta agree with Pidge, Lance- there's no way will that ever happen." Hunk asserted, quirking an eyebrow at his overconfident teammate. "For one thing, you'd never be able to get her alone! Coran is one on'ry pit bull when it comes to protecting Princess."

Lance's expression grew dreamy. "We'd find a way, somehow. She's gotten pretty good at giving him the slip, and don't forget that my specialty is in surveillance; I am very _good_ at not being seen when I don't want to be…"

A loud clunk was heard as Keith set his cup down on the table with a little more force than necessary.

Sven sighed softly and lowered the manual. He couldn't concentrate now; things were getting much too interesting in the real world. He settled back, prepared to watch the scenario play itself out, while carefully monitoring the level of tension in the room. It had risen considerably, but only he and Keith seemed to be aware of it.

"Yeah, right," Hunk's smile had a definite edge to it as he jibed his teammate. "You just keep on dreaming there, buddy! I'm tellin' ya, Coran guards her like a lion. The old man'll chew you up and spit you out!"

Lance grinned cheekily. "You greatly underestimate me, O Mighty But Rotund One! This is a huge castle, and there are a lot of rooms not in use right now..." He rubbed his hands together in mock glee. "The new observation deck is a particularly romantic location for a romantic rendev-"

"_Okay_, I think that's enough from both of you. Remember, Hartwell, you're here to protect her, not to pursue her. " Keith snapped, using his Commander's voice to full effect. "This isn't the time or the place for trying to act out your childhood fantasies. The Princess deserves more respect from us than that and Coran shouldn't have cause to feel that she's less than safe when we are around her." He glared at the Red Lion pilot's annoyingly perfect profile.

Lance shook his head in mock disgust. "Sheesh, don't you _ever _go off duty? Lighten _up_, El Capitan!"

The Red Lion pilot shot a teasing glance at his commander, but his expression quickly sobered as he got a good look at Keith's face.

Although his expression remained outwardly composed, anyone who knew him well would see that the Captain was getting angry. Lance was one of the privileged few that knew him well. He knew all the little signs; the tiny flutter in the jaw muscle, the flexing fingers, the slight lowering of the eyebrows all spelled trouble for whoever was ticking the Captain off –which at the moment, would be him.

Lance was puzzled; he knew that Keith had a wicked sense of humor that was rarely shown to anyone but his best friends. The two of them had discussed attractive females before, and had even helped each other out in the romance sector when at the Academy, fixing each other up with roommates of girlfriends or attractive classmates. Now that he really thought about it, though, Keith hadn't ever taken advantage of the women Lance had assured him were always 'a sure thing', apparently preferring to establish a meaningful relationship before committing to a physical bond. As far as the Red Lion pilot knew, that had only happened once at the Academy, and once after.

He had always hassled his friend for having a 'puritanical streak' and for not taking the time to enjoy 'what life and women had to offer' but deep down he had admitted he admired and envied Keith his impressive self-discipline, because it was something that was always was and had been a struggle for him. It was the one quality he didn't have much hope of attaining on a consistent level. Self-control and discipline were the marks of high character, and part of the reason Keith had made Commander at such a young age. They were also the reason Lance remained a second lieutenant, despite actually beating Keith on the flight simulator and combat exams. Character and discipline played huge roles in Academy policy, equal to that of scholarship, and in those qualities, Keith had totally outclassed him.

And now…now his high- principled commandant had taken up the cause of defending the Princess' virtue from evil tyrants _and _dashing, good- looking pilots.

Lance grinned inwardly. All right, maybe that was a _wee_ bit of an exaggeration. They _were_ here to do a job, and seeing to Princess Allura's safety was part of that job. Yet, somehow, Lance sensed that his leader wasn't as detached as he seemed in his interpretation of the situation; he was detecting strong emotions quietly simmering inside the reserved commander.

Judging by the chivalrous courtesies that Keith always showered upon her and the way the man talked about her, he seemed to have the Arusian sovereign on some sort of pedestal. In all probability, Keith viewed the Princess as the ultimate example of goodness, honor and innocence; the proverbial paragon of virtue. He also certainly had shown he was excessively protective of Allura- but that wasn't unusual, all of them felt the same way, from the first time they met her and heard her story.

But couldn't Keith see the real person underneath the title? Did he really prefer to look to her as a symbol of purity and courage instead of a flesh and blood woman?

Lance's eyes narrowed speculatively. Well if that was the case, fine and dandy for El Capitan! However, he saw things much, _much _differently. The Princess was first and foremost a womanwho was personable, intelligent, fun, delightfully curvy, and pretty; okay, okay, she was flat out _gorgeous-_ so how could Keith expect him to deprive himself of enjoying such a beautiful female's company, especially in the midst of such an ugly war? What was with that? Was the guy a turning into a war machine, immune to the delights of flirtation and sex?

"So are you still telling me it's 'hands off', Captain Powell?" He asked slyly. "What if the Princess has other ideas?"

The suggestion did not sit well with his chief, he could see that right away. The clenched hands were a dead giveaway.

Maybe it was time to drop the subject.

"I am telling you to behave the way I know you can behave when your hormones aren't in overdrive." Keith replied coolly, while forcing himself to unclench his fists. He deliberately leaned back against the sectional and crossed his arms over his chest. "She's part of the Force, now, and that makes her a _teammate_ of yours. Anything that happens to affect the performance of the team could not only spell disaster for Arus, it could also cost us our lives."

Now Lance was angry. How could flirting with the Princess ruin an entire planet, for God's sake? _What a piece of work you are, Commander!_ "You're not human, man." He blurted out. "Don't you see what a knockout she is? Don't you ever feel anything but duty? Are you asexual or something? At least tell me that you get a small kick out of rescuing the beautiful damsel in distress!"

"Vell, considering that the distressed damsel rescued _us_ today, I think that maybe the Captain can admit to appreciating the Princess' courage, and we can leave it at that." Sven hastily interjected, seeing the storm clouds brewing in the Captain's dark eyes.

Keith's voice was tight with suppressed anger as he answered. "No, Sven, we can't. I 'm going to tell Lance what he wants to hear. I feely admit and will go on record that I have noticed and appreciated how beautiful the Princess is, inside _and _out. As for romance, I think it's safe to say we _all_ have had thoughts in that direction since we arrived, and not just because she's the only woman around here!"

"True, " Sven mumbled in an aside to Hunk. "I wouldn't have had that dream I had the other night about just anyone."

The big man nodded. "She's the only woman who'd make me want to go on a diet voluntarily."

Pidge just sighed, a slight blush skimming across his smooth cheeks.

Hunk clapped his hand on the boy's shoulder in wordless sympathy. "Yeah, I know. Puberty sucks...right, little buddy?"

The Green Lion pilot nodded emphatically.

They returned their full attention to Keith, who had stopped talking, risen to his feet and was now pacing in an open area near the sectional, a sure sign of his internal stress.

His team jumped as he stopped pacing and whirled to face the Red Lion pilot, who had jammed his hands in his pockets and was warily eyeing his leader.

"The big difference between you and me, Hartwell, is that I am responsible for the well-being and safety of every member of this team, and I won't be distracted by my baser urges, no matter _how _desirable the woman is..."

Lance suddenly grinned, his temper abruptly vanishing.

"Thank God for that, Powell! I mean, we haven't been around women for a very long time, and with the five of us cooped up alone with a beautiful woman and you seemingly immune to the her attributes, I was really starting to wonder if I needed to worry about..."

He stopped mid sentence as he saw the four pairs of eyes fixed on him starting to glint with murderous intent. "Um, it was just a thought- never mind. So, Keith, let me get this straight-" Lance successfully fought the urge to snicker at the unintentional pun. "You _do_ think she's a...a...um..."

"A babe?" Hunk supplied helpfully.

Keith's lips suddenly twitched. "Only if you mean that term in the best possible way."

A cautious chuckle went around the group, and Sven breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Lance wasn't finished though. "So you _do_ understand why I like spending time with the Princess, right?"

The dark head dipped in affirmation.

"Then why do you have to get so damn jumpy about it? I'm only talking about a few innocent kisses here and there, that's all."

The Voltron Captain rubbed his neck, attempting to massage the tenseness from the strained muscles. "You want to know why I worry about Allura's virtue, Lance? Because as far as movie character philosophies go, I would say your brand of charm reminds me of the love-'em- and–leave-'em James T. Kirk." He smirked at his friend. "Just how many beds _have _yourspace boots been under, anyway?"

"Too many to count. " Lance retorted. "And I would say in response that you remind me of Mr. Spock- ears, no sex drive and all!"

"Ohhhh boy, _that _was a low blow," Pidge gasped, shocked and yet vaguely admiring of his teammate's boldness in jabbing his Captain.

"Did I say you were like James Kirk? My mistake, I meant to say 'Crewman Number Six'; you know, the red shirted, _expendable _one," came the silky rejoinder.

"Nice one, Chief,' Hunk cheered.

" Oh really?" Lance tossed out. "By the way, did I ever tell _you_ that with that unruly hair of yours you could pass for a tribble?"

A soft chuckle was heard, then quickly suppressed as Keith ran a stern gaze over his audience. He addressed the grinning lieutenant, a dangerous smile upon his own lips.

"Very funny, very droll, Hartwell...and you thought of it all by yourself, too. That reminds me, did anyone ever tell you that when you try to think too hard, you look like a Klingon?"

Sven chortled. "Morsom den er jammen!" He gasped, silent laughter shaking his body.

Pidge and Hunk looked at him questioningly.

"That was a good one," he breathlessly explained to the two friends, and they laughingly nodded their agreement

"Well, at least I look like a warrior and not some warm, _fuzzy_ thing." Lance offered. It was a weak comeback and he knew it.

"Ah, but remember Princesses _love_ to cuddle up to warm, fuzzy things," Keith shot back, triumphantly, sensing victory was at hand in the war of words.

"We do?"

* * *

Pidge, Lance, Sven and Hunk quickly rose to their feet as the Princess made her unheralded entrance. She appeared to be hiding a grin, as she glided toward them.

They noted with interest that Allura carried a large, covered box, which she set gently down upon the coffee table with a small wince, as if her muscles were protesting the action. Just as soon as the expression appeared, it was gone, as if the Princess had willed away her discomfort. She straightened and slowly turned to focus her beautiful eyes on the mortified Commander.

Keith savagely berated himself for letting Lance goad him into a one-upmanship contest. He could feel the heat of a scorching blush rising up the column of his neck and over his jaw and cheeks. Even his ears felt warm.

"Gee, maybe I was wrong Keith, Spock's ears never turned that particular color," Lance murmured so only his skipper could hear.

The Princess' sweet voice cut off the scathing comeback that was blistering the tip of Keith's tongue. He bit it off with a sigh of frustration, his inbred good manners not allowing him to ignore the courtesies that should be afforded her.

"Princess, would you like a seat and a warm cup of coffee?" He offered, ignoring Lance's soft chortle of victory.

"Yes, and then I would like to tell you why I wanted to talk to you boys." She smiled.

"What's in the box?' Pidge asked curiously, after Allura had seated herself, Sven on her left, and Keith using the pretext of pouring her coffee to push Lance aside to sit at her right.

"Nice move Powell, you must have learned it from me," Lance hissed quietly.

Keith just smiled blandly.

"I have gifts for all of you. I have long wished for something of value that I could give you for your service to the crown. After all of you helped me recover my possessions this afternoon, I thought of the perfect way to express my appreciation."

"A hug would do it for me," Lance said, straight- faced. "I'm easy to please-_Oof_!" A hard elbow to his gut cut the remark off at the knees.

"Sorry Lance, didn't know you were sitting so close to me. Maybe you should slide a little farther away," Keith suggested, with a meaningful look.

"Hmph," Lance huffed and glared at his friend, but prudently moved out of harm's way.

Allura looked back and forth between the two men. Something was brewing between those two and it had to do with warm fuzzy things that she supposedly liked. She sat silently mulling over what that could be, until her attention was gently directed elsewhere.

"Please continue, Princess," the Captain prompted smoothly.

"Oh yes, of course," she replied, blushing prettily under five admiring, masculine gazes.

**To be continued...:)**


	8. The Prime Objective Part Two

**A Ray of Hope**

**_By KittyLynne_**

_Hear ye, hear ye! Let it be known throughout the fandom that I do not claim to own Voltron or any of its inhabitants, which rightfully and legally belong to the corporate kingdom of W.E.P._

**Chapter 8 - The Prime Objective: Part Two**

The young monarch stared at her folded hands, collecting her thoughts. Her audience waited patiently, all eyes riveted to her regal figure. Presently she lifted her head and looked around at them with eyes filled with sincerity. "I hope that you will forgive my informality during this presentation, gentlemen. Under normal circumstances I would have called for a special ceremony in the assembly hall." She said quietly, her regret clearly showing. "You all deserve full honors, as well as citations and medals, and I will be seeing to that as soon as it's possible for me to do so."

"Don't worry about that stuff, Princess, a simple thank you is more than enough for me," Pidge told her earnestly, and then blushed when she bestowed an approving smile upon him.

"You're very kind to say that, Pidge. I regret that we haven't had much time to talk since you arrived; I hope we get to know each other much better as time goes on. I would love to hear all about your home world- I know shamefully little about it."

The Green Lion pilot's lips split to reveal a large grin. "I'd really like that, Princess, whenever you have the time."

"I'll make the time," she responded warmly.

While the Princess paused to take a sip of coffee, the grinning adolescent shot a triumphant glance at Lance. "Maybe someone _else_ might be giving that kiss," he muttered, just loud enough for the Red Lion pilot to hear.

"Yeah, _right_," Lance countered, just as quietly. "Now who's fantasizing?"

Pidge resisted the urge to smack his teammate by focusing his attention solely on the Princess. It wasn't a difficult thing to do; he had found her presence a balm for his jangled nerves from the very first. He felt himself relax, and leaned back into the couch cushion with a sigh of contentment.

Allura set her cup down. "As I was saying, I have a gift for all of you. I wish to present them individually, I hope you don't mind." Keith stared bemusedly at the smear of pink lipstick on the cup's rim, before responding, "We don't mind."

His teammates gave silent nods of affirmation to his statement.

"Thank you." Suddenly Allura felt nervous. What if they thought her gifts to them were silly or frivolous? "I...uh, I w-want you to know that these particular items have very special meaning to me...since they were created by my father."

She reached out to slide the box nearer to her, and then removed the lid. Reaching in with both hands, she drew out a carved wooden lion that stood about eight inches high. The blond colored wood that made up its essence shone with a glossy patina, as if recently polished. The big cat was balanced on his back paws, as if battling an unseen opponent, its forepaws fully extended to strike a massive blow. The lion's mouth was open in a silent roar, and its eyes were gleaming with purpose.

Keith and Sven sucked in a collective breath as Hunk, Pidge and Lance's mouths fell open. King Alfor's carvings-surely the Princess didn't mean to part with them? The five men exchanged awed glances as they realized how personal and priceless were the gifts the Princess was about to bestow upon them.

Allura turned to Sven first. "I would like to present the first lion to you, Lieutenant Rolvaag, since you saved all of these works of art from being destroyed. Father named this one 'The Champion'. _You_ have been a tireless champion for good in battling Zarkon, and an invaluable asset to Coran in navigational operations. Your integrity shines through in everything you do, and touches all that know you. I trust you implicitly and so does Coran."

"Princess, I...I cannot accept such a precious treasure. It should be handed down to members of your family," the Blue Lion pilot protested, regarding her with a mixture of disbelief and wonder.

Allura held out the lion with a gentle smile, reassured by the look of awe she saw in Sven's eyes. If she could judge all of them by this reaction, her gifts would be well received after all. She held the carving out to him, as one would an offering. "It _is_ being handed to family, Lieutenant. Please, I beg you not to deny me the pleasure of giving you a part of Arus and of me."

Two pairs of blue eyes locked in wordless communication in a room suddenly gone deathly quiet.

What happened next was unexplainable and shook the Scandinavian to the core.

He felt the touch of a flowing essence, tranquil and loving. He had known he possessed some kinetic abilities, but this was way beyond anything he had experienced in that realm of possibility, it was as if he was spiritually forging an unshakable bond with the Arusian Princess. He instinctively reached out with his mind to touch what was offered and was rewarded with a sensation of profound peace.

As soon as the tranquility enfolded him, Sven felt as if he could hear the Princess' heart beating in rhythm with his own. What did this mean? Strong emotions washed over him that he could not comprehend, except to think that somehow, this connection meant that his and Allura's lives would always be entwined in some way. He sensed she felt the same way; his eyes searched hers for confirmation, but a sudden sense of guilt made him break off the contact before anything could be revealed.

Sometimes it was best to leave the future to take care of itself.

He briefly closed his eyes to the sudden pang of loss. He could feel his teammates' eyes boring into him, especially his leader's, but ignored them all. His lids lifted to reveal eyes that showed his heartfelt appreciation for what had been given to him. "I thank you, Princess. You deeply honor me." He stated, while carefully taking the lion into his hands. He stroked the satiny wood with gentle fingertips, admiring the late King's craftsmanship. "It's beautiful gift, and I'll treasure it always." A rare smile touched his face, dazzling Allura with its brilliance.

"You are so very welcome, Lieutenant." She replied, sounding slightly breathless.

"Oh please... after a gift like this, you must call me Sven," was the roguish response. The Norseman's smile increased in wattage as he gave Allura a broad wink.

Predictably, she blushed. "All right...Sven." _My goodness, he's so very handsome...and I do believe he's psychic. Hm, I wonder ifhe can tell that I am too?_

Realizing that she'd been staring at him for far too long a time, she hastily averted her eyes to the box and pulled out the next lion. It was a little larger than Sven's and was in a full four footed stance, as if ready to guard his kingdom from danger. The lion's eyes were solemn, intent, yet kindly; the massive paws looked like they would be solidly planted on whatever surface he was placed upon. The animal had an unmistakable air of nobility about it, and it was obvious to Allura who should have this piece.

She turned to the Captain. Her stomach fluttered unexpectedly as she met his gaze. As she gazed deeply into the sable darkness and the color in her cheeks deepened at the warmth of his expression.

"Keith, I'd like you to have this carving. It's called 'The Knight Protector' and somehow I think the title suits both of you," Allura said huskily, a shy smile lighting her features. "When I was a little girl, I always felt so safe with him watching over me, as if he would never let anything harm me in any way. I felt that very same sensation when we first met, and every day since then. Because of you, I can now say that I am no longer frightened of what may come my way in the future." She held out the carving. "I feel so proud when I see you defending Arus. There's never any doubt in my mind that you will prevail, if only by the sheer force of your will. You give me confidence, peace of mind, and hope for happy endings, Captain Powell, and I thank you. Please accept this as a symbol of my respect and admiration for you."

Keith stared at her, his lips parted in amazement. When he finally tried to speak, he found that he had no voice. Silently he reached out for her gift, noticing that the Princess' hands were trembling as she offered the lion to him, and was taken aback to see how unsteady his own hands were, as she placed the wooden figure in his grasp. Their fingertips touched briefly, and a small jolt of electricity seemed to pass between them. Both drew back at the contact, each extremely aware of the other's reaction. He looked down at the magnificent, sleek object he now held in his calloused hands, and then back to the remarkable woman who had given it. She was gazing intently at the lion, obviously fighting to compose herself.

A slight, but sharp pricking behind his eyes took him by surprise and he swallowed convulsively. He admitted to himself that he was almost unbearably touched by her shy confession, it couldn't have been easy for her to say, considering how fiercely independent she was.

The proud, strong, beautiful Princess of Arus was telling him she placed a high value on his presence in her life. That affirmation meant more to him than any military commendation she could have bestowed upon him, or even the priceless carving.

As he looked down upon the bent head that wore the circlet of her high station , all of the turbulent emotions he felt for Allura rose to the surface and displayed themselves in the depths of his eyes,. The golden tresses seemed to blur and waver for a moment, then thankfully came into sharp focus. He drew a deep, controlled breath and allowed the sweet aroma of her body to fill his nostrils. That she chose the essence of plum blossoms for her scent didn't surprise him at all; every part of her that should be had to be as soft and as sweet as that particular bloom. He had the mad impulse to draw her into his arms and press that golden head into his shoulder, but fought it off. Thank God for military training; his control was shaken, but still in place. Barely. _Oh God, she gets under my skin like no other woman ever has. I am in serious trouble._ He thought despairingly. _How could I have had the balls to lecture Lance on propriety? I should be telling myself everything I said to him, and more._

He hastened to thank her for the gift, before he could think up any other inappropriate gestures. "Princess, I swear that nothing _will_ happen to you. I took a vow to protect you with my life, and I meant it. I'm in this with you all the to the end and beyond that."

She raised glowing eyes to his. "I know. I felt it from the first."

A poignant silence fell as they felt something new, exciting, and only slightly terrifying building between them.

Lance watched the silent exchange with raised eyebrows. He noted, with interest, the rosy cheeks of the Princess and the flustered expression of the Captain. He tipped his head to the side, pondering the scene before him. It was quite obvious his friend was _not_ immune to the Princess at all, in fact, he looked _very_ taken with her- as a woman, not an icon, if he was a decent judge of body language.

_Careful, El Capitan, or your baser urges may get the best of you,_ Lance thought, with sudden perceptiveness.

He hadn't been able to tease Keith about a female for a long time. This was going to be good, if Keith was even half as infatuated as he looked. The Highly Principled One obviously needed a refresher on section six, paragraph three. He made a mental note to obtain an official Garrison captain's manual as soon as possible, to be left in the Captain's new quarters, the pertinent section highlighted in fluorescent yellow. Oh, and a manual on French kissing too. That should be good for a hoot.

The thought brought a small grin to Lance's face. It disappeared as he caught the frowning gaze of Sven. It wouldn't do for the Norwegian to find out about this prank, Sven never could keep a secret from Keith. He assumed a sober expression, and breathed a sigh of relief as Sven finally ended his scrutiny.

Allura was the first to break the silence, as awareness of the interested bystanders in the room crept into her thoughts. She broke eye contact with the Captain, and blushed prettily. "Yes, now to continue..."

Keith gave a start at the sound of her voice, and then shifted uncomfortably under Lance's knowing stare.

The Princess kept her eyes averted as she reached into the box, removing the next gift.

The big cat been carved in a true-to –life crouched position, its muscles bunched, looking ready to pounce at anything that moved. The lion's facial expression exuded intensity and confidence.

"Lance, this carving is yours," she announced, leaning over Keith to present it to the Red Lion pilot. "Father called it 'The Valiant Hunter', and I thought that it's perfect for you. I have the highest regard for your bravery and willingess to battle for what's right. I can always depend on you to be ready to protectthe people of this world. I admire your selflessness, tenacity and dedication. You are a winner in all respects, and I thank you for your loyalty to Arus."

Lance had straightened immediately as the Princess had addressed him. He now found himself frozen in place as she extended the gift, her words penetrating the mists of his brain. Had he heard her correctly? She...admired him? She thought he was selfless and dedicated…that he was a _winner_?

"Lieutenant...are you all right?" The honeyed tones broke into his thoughts.

"Yes, I'm sorry, Princess," Lance said quietly. All of his trademark swagger gone from his voice and person. He took the lion from her and cradled it protectively between his hands. "This is the nicest gift I have ever received, and I'm honored that you find me worthy of it. I hope you know that I'll continue to fight my hardest for you and for Arus for as long as it takes!"

"I would expect nothing less from a champion such as yourself, Lieutenant." She replied, with an admiring look. "Arus and I thank you."

Lance was astonished to feel his face heating up. God, after all these years he was actually blushing like a schoolboy…or, more accurately, like the unsophisticated farm boy he had once been. Although he didn't look around, he was acutely aware that his teammates were chuckling inwardly at his loss of cool. "There's no need for you to thank me," he mumbled, for once wishing with all his heart that he wasn't the center of attention.

"Sorry, but I must disagree!" Allura smiled at his red-faced expression, and then, much to Lance's relief, turned her attention to presenting the next gift.

It was obvious to her onlookers that this lion was meant for Pidge. The figure was carved in a seated position; the head tilted upwards, forepaws solidly planted on the ground. The eyes looked steadily out into space, their expression sober and intent.

"This one is called, 'The Sentry of Dreams', and it reminds me of you, Lieutenant Trewold." The Princess informed the wide-eyed boy.

"It….it's beautiful," Pidge stammered, as he eagerly reached for his prize. Holding itin front of him, he studied it with an expression as intent as the lion's. "Why did this one remind you of me?"

"Because you have managed to keep your dreams intact and remain optimistic about the future despite the horrors you have seen at such a young age." Allura explained warmly. "Never stop dreaming, Pidge. I know for certain that you have both the knowledge and the courage to accomplish great things. It can't be easy being so far from home and family, and I appreciate your sacrifice and your companionship. To me you are an absolute wonder, a true friend and a gentleman."

The Princess reached over and patted his hand as she finished her speech. Pidge stared at the hand, his mouth quivering for moment. He straightened his lips to stop them from trembling, and bowed his head a moment to compose himself. Finally, he looked up with a somber expression, and eyes that seemed as if they had grown to saucer size.

"Thank you, Princess. I'll keep this close to me always, especially since it's from _you_."

Allura broke into a delighted grin. "You're so sweet! I imagine that the girls at the Academy must have been beating down your door."

"Actually, they pretty much beat me _up_ in combat exercises, judo class-you name it." Pidge confessed sheepishly. He glared at Hunk as the big man chuckled. "Shut up! I didn't see any women knocking at your door either, ya big smarty."

"Course not, because I always left it open," Hunk retorted slyly. "Didn't want to make them wait."

A general and very loud snicker went around the room until Keith cleared his throat and inclined his head toward the Princess with a meaningful look. Luckily, it appeared that Allura hadn't caught on to the more improper aspects of the comment- or if she had, she was doing a good job of concealing it. "Speaking of waiting, that brings me to you, Hunk," she continued, as she reached for the last lion and brought it into view. The big cat was lying down, with all four paws tucked beneath it- a sight which caused a few sly chuckles at the big man's expense. The chuckling soon tapered off, however, when the Princess turned the figure around to show them the cub lying on its back between the massive front paws of the adult lion. One small paw was raised to the mighty maw of its sire, and the lion appeared to be smiling tenderly, as it looked down upon its offspring.

The room fell silent. Hunk blinked in astonishment. How had she known?

"This piece is called 'Founding Father of the Future'. It goes without saying that I have been amazed by your strength and determination in battle, Lieutenant Titus, but I have been even more impressed by your selfless giving and numerous kindnesses to the children of Arus. I can tell children hold a special place in your heart, and that you would defend their homes to your final breath. I have seen how deeply you have taken our cause to heart, and that you aren't afraid to show it. I respect that so very much, and find it a very endearing quality. You are the type of man my father would have referred to as a 'pillar of solidarity', because he would've seen what I do- that Arus can rebuild if it follows your example of strength, courage and high moral values. Never have I been able to say that someone's heart truly matches his stature...until I met you, Hunk. I thank you for your loyalty, your loving nature, and your bravery."

The Yellow Lion pilot's skin took on a dark red hue, and his eyes grew wide as he accepted his figurine, and his huge hands held the lions as carefully as one would an infant. He swallowed hard, and tried to stop the moisture that was collecting beneath his eyelids, but to no avail. A few tears slipped loose, trailed down his ruddy cheeks and finally fell from his squared-off jaw line.

"Thanks a lot, Princess! I'm not one for pretty speeches, so I'll just say that I think the kids are awesome, and so are you!" He dragged the back of his sleeve across his watery eyes. "This lion _is_ just right for me! I don't know how you knew, but I am glad you did. Thanks."

"You're very welcome, Hunk." Allura replied, as her own eyes became misty once again. She looked around the group. "That is all I can give you for now, but I hope to do better for you in the future. I am sure the people of Arus will wish to honor you as well."

Keith spoke. "On behalf of everyone, I'd like to thank you for giving us these precious statues, and also for what you did for us out there today. I only wish there was something we could give you that would be as meaningful as what you have given to us."

Allura turned to him with sparkling eyes. "Actually, there is one thing, Captain. I wish to start training with you boys. I'd like to have you teach me the martial arts and anything else I could use to defend myself and my planet."

His eyes went wide. "Uh, does Coran know-?"

The Princess shook her head. "No, he doesn't, and I ask that he doesn't until I learn enough to prove to him without a doubt that I am not a helpless little girl."

Keith's sixth sense told him Lance was about to make a comment. He sent his friend a warning glance. Lance subsided immediately. Even he knew to be silent when the Fearless One looked like that. Meanwhile, the Captain looked around at the rest his men and saw the answer to Allura's question in their eyes and gave a decisive nod.

"We'll be happy to train you, Princess, but are you sure it's really what you want? It's going to be tiring, and probably painful," he warned.

"It will be good pain, and a good tired feeling," she responded firmly. "I can take it. It's for Arus, and for myself." She looked steadily into the dark eyes, her expression resolute. "I am choosing my path, and my quest."

Keith blinked, his thoughts immediately going to the tapestry that had been carefully wrapped and placed in the Princess' quarters. He thought of the storybook princess and her adventures that included monsters, the witch and the mysterious knight, all vividly depicted on the hanging. He thought of how the Princess had been left with no ending but one that she alone could create.

Allura was determined to finish that tale. Who was he to take away her choice to do so?

A pleased smile turned up the corners of his mouth.

"All right Princess, barring any attacks from Doom, your training starts tomorrow at 0800 hours."

"Oh thank you so much! I promise to be a good pupil!"

His smile became a grin as she literally wiggled in excitement, much as a child would when receiving a treat. Half woman, half child- that would describe her quite accurately, except for the fact that her body was very much a woman's.

As a familiar throb began in his loins, Keith stopped his wandering thoughts in their tracks. "More coffee Princess?" he asked hastily.

"Yes, thank you Keith-oh my goodness, I almost forgot the other thing I brought for all of us!"

The Princess dived into the box once more and lifted out a flat package, ever so gently. Then she held it in a way that they could all read the name on its cover. The five men seated around her leaned forward and read the label in unison: _'Aunt Gertie's Famous Mocha Truffles'._

"I hope these are still good, I ordered them six months ago from the black market running between Arus and Mora. I _adore_ chocolate, especially Terran chocolate." Allura said, looking a tad uncertain.

"I'm certain they're still good," Keith assured her. "Preservatives are a good thing- in this case."

Allura giggled at his pun. The rest of the team groaned.

Hunk placed a hand over his heart and spoke in hushed, reverent tones. "You are not a princess, Princess... you are an _angel_."

"Most certainly," Sven agreed. His eyes were fixed on the candy as intently as if it were a target.

"Heavenly," Pidge chimed in, while handing Allura his jackknife to break the seals.

"Auntie Gertie's a babe!" Lance declared, getting in the last word and the last laugh before the chocolate feasting began.

**Next up…the Epilogue!**


	9. A Changing of The Guard

**A Ray Of Hope**

**By KittyLynne**

_Disclaimer: I do not claim to own any part of Voltron, or its inhabitants. WEP owns them all, kit and kaboodle._

**Epilogue - A Changing of the Guard**

The Princess of Arus entered the pilot's lounge with lagging steps and a heavy heart. The room was deserted. Allura gazed sadly at the carving that had been placed near the sectional as a reminder that Sven would always be a part of the team. At her request, all of Lieutenant Rolvaag's manuals, equipment and the lion statue she had given him had been moved to the pilot's gathering spot to form a sort of shrine to the man whose sacrifice would never be forgotten. Could it be that only a month ago this room had been filled with his laughter and the light of his smile?

In any case, the lounge now bore the reverent, tomblike aura of a memorial to their fallen comrade. As she gazed at the makeshift shrine and thought of the brave Norwegian, the unwanted memories came flooding back to her.

The beeping monitors and flashing lights.

White coated figures flying around a sterile, ill-equipped emergency room, trying to save a life.

Tortured breathing and the smell of blood.

The sight of an unmoving body and a grief-stricken friend.

_Allura swiftly entered the Intensive Care sector, for once completely unnoticed by the staff, and looked around until she spotted the Captain leaning over the Lieutenant's bedside. She strode over to the small alcove but came to an abrupt halt just inside the doorway, not wanting to intrude on a very private moment between the two friends. _

_"Oh God, Sven, don't leave. You can't leave us. I won't let you die!" Keith's tortured half- whisper reached her ears and ripped right into her heart. He sat closely beside his fallen comrade, elbows propped on the hospital bed, shoulders rounded as he leaned forward. The dark eyes were full of pain, the handsome face contorted with something akin to fear. _

_Keith- afraid? She hurried to his side, getting her first glimpse of the death-like gray pallor on the handsome face of their critically injured teammate. Her eyes overflowed with tears. Oh dear God, it didn't look like Sven was going to make it. She hadn't wanted to believe it, but the horrible evidence was now in front of her. Her throat suddenly felt thick and she stifled the sobs that threatened to erupt. _

_Dr. Gorma had said just the blood loss that Sven had suffered would've been enough to kill the average man -but the Blue Lion pilot had never, ever been average, so at first she had hoped that he'd be fine after the transfusions. Then the rest of the tests had come in; his internal injuries were extensive as well, a severely torn and ruptured lung, smashed ribs, a damaged spleen and a lacerated kidney. Life threatening injuries all, but still treatable if they could only get him stabilized long enough to get him to Dr. Lewar on Eb. There, with the proper medical equipment, he might have a chance. _

_She drew nearer to the battered figure in the bed, bending forward and staring fixedly at the waxen face. He looked bad. So very bad. He needed help. _

_Live, Sven. You must live! She desperately projected herself into his unconscious, and held fast to the soul that was slipping away. She reached out to grasp the limp, clammy fingers lying on the coverlet We love you, come back to us. _

_For a moment, she despaired of holding on, feeling his quicksilver essence sliding away. _

_She heard Keith choke out a guttural sob. He bent his head between his forearms and clasped hands, praying for all he was worth. _

_"Please my friend, you have so much ahead of you, I know it isn't your time. Hang on." he whispered. _

_He gave a start as she wrapped her hand over his two enfolded ones. Slowly his head rose and he turned to look at her. Her eyes looked deep into his soul and beyond. Instinctively, he recoiled. _

_"Stay with me, Keith." she had said to the grieving Captain. "Pray with me. Pray for Sven." _

_Their eyes locked, and he appeared to gain comfort from the nonverbal exchange. His hands parted to cover hers, and he rested his forehead on their entwined fingers. Together they prayed and meditated, each of them drawing strength from the other. As they did so, their injured friend had miraculously stabilized, and was quickly transported for treatment. _

_Sven had lived that day, but in a cruel twist of fate had disappeared after as he was recovering on Eb, once again a victim of one of Zarkon's infamous slave raids._

* * *

The Princess sighed heavily as she studied the wooden King of Beasts. _Sven, dear, wherever you are, do not give up hope. We will find you._

She wearily stretched out on the plush sectional, cursing the inflexibility of her fight uniform, and waited for what seemed like forever. At last she heard footsteps in the corridor; the doors slid back and she sprang to her feet.

Lance, also still in uniform, appeared in the doorway looking totally exhausted. Allura ran to him, ignoring his scowl, her own expression beseeching him to speak civilly to her. "Where's Keith?"

The Red Lion pilot fixed her with a steely gaze.

"He's with Coran, who's probably ripping him a new one." Lance stated tersely. "Just what Keith needs after having to deal with Sven's disappearance, and having to train a total novice in Blue Lion, a novice who just about got us all killed today. If I were you, Princess, I'd stay out of it, you've caused him enough grief for one day."

Allura flinched at the harsh words, but said nothing. He was lashing out in frustration, and she knew it wasn't totally directed at her, but at the dire situation the team was facing. She had wanted to intercede on the Captain's behalf with her overprotective guardian, but perhaps it was best to let well enough alone. She knew that she had forced the issue of being Sven's replacement, but the team had seemed happy to have her in Blue Lion, that is, until today, when her stupid blunders had put both the Voltron Force and Arus in serious danger.

All the same, the truth of the tactless words had hit its mark. Allura felt the bitter tears gathering behind her eyelids and decided to was time to clear out. "You're right of course. Thank you, Lieutenant." Head bowed, she stepped around him and away from his merciless stare.

A hand shot out, encircling her upper arm and halting her progress. She stood quietly, not turning, not wanting him to see the tears of hurt that she couldn't hide. Lance already thought she was an emotional and physical liability to the team- no use giving him even more ammunition to bolster that opinion. She studied the floor as she braced herself for the diatribe about her poor flying skills that she was sure was coming.

She knew Lance didn't think much of her piloting the Blue Lion in Sven's place; as he had so succinctly phrased it to Keith that morning, 'her ineptness is only exceeded by her incompetence.' The criticism had stung, but she honestly couldn't blame him for being frustrated, for at this point in her training she was more of an albatross than an asset and they all knew it. With that thought in mind, she tried to tug her arm out of his grasp, but Lance held firm.

"Princess, wait..." His low, apologetic tone surprised her and she turned to find his face just inches away from hers.

"I had no right to speak that way to you and I'm sorry," he said, sincerely.

She relaxed a little. "It's all right. I know I'm not any good, but at least I can help you form Voltron."

Lance sighed as he released her arm. "Although I keep getting reminded on a daily basis how terribly green you are, I haven't forgotten that you've got more courage and strength of mind than any woman I've ever known. It will get better, and you'll get better." He affectionately patted her shoulder. "Don't let my crabbiness today get you down, Princess. You've learned a lot in a short time, under extreme pressure. Considering all that, you did okay for a first battle."

"Thank you, Lieutenant- although after my rookie mistakes, I hope you still want me," she replied gravely.

Lance gave a reluctant half smile. Lord, why did she always tempt him with such great straight lines? His tongue was already raw from being bitten so much. "Of course I want you, who wouldn't?" He replied slyly, with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

Allura gave him the priceless wide-eyed look he had come to know so well, the one that said she was aware of a hidden meaning but wasn't sure of what it was. She just hadn't gotten the hang of flirting yet. He doubted she ever _would_ get it.

She leaned toward him and he caught a whiff of the light floral scent she wore.

"Why, Lieutenant, what a sweet thing for you to say," she murmured, blinking slowly- or was it more like batting her eyelashes?

Lance blinked back at her. Perhaps he had a made a mistake about her not knowing how to flirt. Petal soft lips touching his cheek were a confirmation of his error. The Princess then retreated with a very demure smile.

"I have to go now, but I want you to know that I won't let the team down again." She declared, her expression becoming serious once more.

Lance could only nod silently, while his hand lifted to the cheek she had kissed. He looked stunned.

Allura smiled up at him, until she noticed the strange glint in his eyes. It set off a warning tingle throughout her body, and a inner voice told her that it was time to leave.

"See you later, Lance."

"Okay... later, Princess."

He watched her walk down the hall, eyeing the delightful curves that her uniform emphasized all too well. She was so sweet and incredibly beautiful and had the innate ability to turn him into a drooling idiot. He groaned softly, thinking that of all the times he had been with a girl, nothing they had done had affected him like a simple kiss on the cheek from the Princess. He had wanted to return that kiss, with interest, but as usual, she had slipped out of range. Now if she could only manage that strategy in battle, they would have it made!

There was still hope; she had certainly mastered flirting with the enemy, maybe next time they could work on her aim. He found that he was grinning at the wicked double entendre, and felt his spirits lift for the first time in days. What a babe she was, indeed.

* * *

Keith exited Coran's office feeling as if he had just received the civilized version of being tarred and feathered. One of the great many pitfalls of being a commanding officer, he thought, with uncharacteristic bitterness, was that the bureaucrats always had the option of using you for a whipping boy.

Coran did not want Princess to fly. Period. He wanted to lock her up in the Castle until they found the perfect human specimen for her to breed with to produce an heir. Didn't the guy get it? Without Princess, there was no Voltron, and without Voltron, an heir wouldn't be needed because Planet Arus would be dust within days. The Royal Advisor seemed obsessed on the subject; as if he felt it was his sole purpose in life to see that Allura lived to carry on tradition. Keith had to admit that he could understand the man's single- minded devotion to duty, but not when it came to this line of reasoning.

The Princess had made some dangerous mistakes out there today, but there was no denying that her instincts were good, her potential was high, and her determination to learn was second to none. Still…she _had _given him many, _many _bad moments…

Keith clenched his jaw. The thought of Allura possibly being shot down, injured or perhaps killed...well, it was almost too much to bear. The old man was probably right. Even the interfering governess had made a strong, logical case for grounding Her Highness by stating that there had to be many capable men in the villages who could pilot the lion. She had also pointed out, quite candidly, that since the Captain was a Terran commoner, he couldn't be expected to understand the importance of a Monarch to her subjects. The implied insult had set his teeth on edge, but he had held his temper in check.

Thank _God_ for military training.

So then why, in spite of all his fears, Nanny's tirades, and Coran's seething resentment, had he still stuck up for Allura's right to pilot Blue Lion?

"_Psst_, Keith, in here!"

The soft voice drifted to his ear as he trudged past an opened supply room. He stopped and looked into the area, the only possible place of hiding. Not a soul to be seen from the hallway view. He cautiously stepped through the door and scanned the area behind it.

He spotted the Princess right away. She was standing next to a crate of computer disks, looking very apprehensive.

"Hiding from Nanny?" He asked, only half-jokingly..

"Keith, I'm so sorry," she whispered. Her eyes were glistening and her gloved hands were clasped together in entreaty.

"For what?" He asked, somewhat wearily. This was one time where he would have preferred to not have had to talk to her. He just wanted to sleep and forget all about battles, his missing friend, Nanny's ranting, and a beautiful Princess for who he wasn't entitled or allowed to express his true feelings.

"I am sorry for letting you down, and for whatever Coran and Nanny said to you just now."

"Don't worry about it; I've been in the military for a long time, and I've gotten dressed down before; those sessions were much worse than what Coran or Nanny said, believe me."

"They want you to ground me, don't they?" Her expression was mutinous.

"Yes." He replied briefly.

"They read you the list of reasons I shouldn't fly, didn't they?"

"Yes they did." He looked angry for a moment, then wiped all expression from his face.

"Tell me… _please_ tell me you didn't agree with them." She begged, her eyes now taking on a haunted look.

Keith hesitated, carefully choosing his words. "Well, Princess, I hafta say that I do agree with them on one thing- I don't want to see you get hurt or killed because of lack of training. You've been thrown in at the deep end, Princess. It would be a devastating blow to m-, uh, _all_ of Arus if something happened to you because you weren't properly prepared for combat."

"Oh no..." she whispered, her heart sinking, her dreams of liberating Arus starting to crumble. "I can't-"

He held up a hand and she bit off the words that were clamoring to be heard.

"But I am not going to ground you, and I told them that." He finished, with a sigh.

Her radiant smile lit up the room. Keith would have been dazzled by it if he weren't so deep-in-the-bones tired. It did lift his spirits a little, enough for him to give her a small grin in return.

"You stood up to them, I knew you would!" Allura rejoiced, her eyes glowing at him with that strange intensity that she had when deeply moved. She started forward as if to make some sort of physical expression of her excitement and he hastily stepped back, hardening his heart against the sudden hurt in her expression.

"Before you get too carried away, there are a few things we've got to get straight, Princess. This is a highly unorthodox situation, and I am would like to speak to you as a commanding officer does to one of his team."

"Yes, of course," she replied, uncertainty in her tone.

Keith drew a deep breath. "If you are going to be on my team, I expect you to work hard, study the operations manuals till you know them forwards and backwards, and most importantly, I expect you to listen to and obey my orders without question when under my direct command. When you are under my command, you are no longer Royalty, you are Allura, pilot of Blue Lion. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I believe so," she nodded. "when in the lion ships and Voltron, you outrank me- is that what you are saying?"

"Right. That means I'll be talking to Coran and making the decisions for the team, not you. Do you think you can handle that?" Keith watched her closely, checking for any signs of petulance or discontent. He found none, and was deeply relieved. Chain of command was a tricky thing at the best of times, which this certainly wasn't.

"I understand, Captain. " She replied staunchly, then hesitated before adding, "I mean, Captain...sir." She unconsciously straightened her posture and actually looked as if she'd snap off a salute at any minute.

Keith stared at her for a full minute, trying to comprehend what had just happened. The whole foundation of their relationship had just turned upside down. It was just too strange to think of her this way right now, as a peer, and as a soldier under his direction. He wanted to laugh at her earnestness, but didn't have it in him to tease her when she was trying so hard to do the right thing, not to mention it certainly would be unprofessional of him to do so. And yet, it _was _sorely tempting…

"We'll work out all the logistics later, but I will say that you don't need to address me as sir-no one on the team does. First names are fine with me, Princess."

Allura looked vastly relieved and Keith's lips twitched, betraying his amusement. She spotted the slight movement and her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Okay then, _Keith_. Don't you think you should call me Allura?"

His eyes widened at the notion. Calling her Princess had kept some distance between them, but calling her 'Allura' made her seem much too… attainable. Now that he was her commander, that was a definite no-zone as far as Garrison rules were concerned.

Conflict of Interest. Code of Morality. Fraternization Policy and Regulations. He had efficiently and clinically memorized them all, not realizing how much they would be impacting his life. The military chain of command had enabled him to have Allura as a comrade, but the regulations upholding his position would prevent him from getting any closer.

Was this what Joseph Heller would have termed a 'Catch-22'?

Keith rather thought so.

His weariness increased as he contemplated the torturous delight of the long hours he would be spending with her. How would he ever get over these feelings if he was constantly in her company?

He gave a small start as he suddenly realized she was asking him a question, and shook his head in response, his fatigue fully evident in his features. "I'm sorry, Princess, I didn't catch that. You were saying...?"

"Never mind...and the name's Allura, remember? I think we can talk later, you really need to get some rest, Keith." She said, smiling gently at him..

He nodded tiredly. "Yeah, I do- but I'll see you later tonight, I hope, Pr- um, Allura." As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized the statement of fact had come out all wrong, sounding too personal; as if they had a date planned or something.

If Allura noticed, she didn't let on. "All right Keith, I'll be waiting. I know I have a lot to learn... and I'm _so_ glad you're going to be the one to teach me."

He blinked at her in confusion. Was she still talking about flying? Allura smiled brightly. He smiled back, a trifle warily.

The adventure had truly begun.

**The end, and a beginning...**

_AN: This story is a Prelude to a fanfiction novella entitled Bonds of Love. I am still debating on whether I should post it on this site or not, as it 60+ chapters long. For anyone who may be interested in reading it, you can check it out at The Lion's Keep: A Voltron Fansite._


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